


Wicked World

by Sashataakheru



Series: Run With The Wolves [6]
Category: Black Sabbath, Electric Light Orchestra, Wizzard
Genre: Blackmail, Caning, Community: bdsm_fandom, D/s, Depression, Imprisonment, Kidnapping, M/M, Mind Control, Multi, Psychological issues, Restraints, Rough play, Superpowers, Torture, Trauma, Violence, alternate universe: mutants, alternate universe: super powers, character death (suicide), enslavement, psychological torment, rape/noncon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-16
Updated: 2012-09-16
Packaged: 2017-11-14 09:11:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 24,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/513632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sashataakheru/pseuds/Sashataakheru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once, they were tolerated. They were at least left alone. Then it all changed, and mutants began to be hunted down and killed. For Bev and Tony, this means leaving home for good, in search of somewhere safe in a world where nowhere is safe anymore. The world turns out to be far more dangerous than they'd both realised.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for BDSM Big Bang @ bdsm_fandom. Beta'd by clucksy; art by clucksy (link forthcoming).

Bev knew the precise moment in which he'd decided to run. Back in London, Jeff had been badly attacked by another mutant and left for dead. He'd been found by Kelly and brought back to Carl's flat. At that moment, seeing Jeff lying unconscious on the sofa, that's when Bev decided he didn't care about safe houses and trying not to show off his powers. It didn't matter where he was. London was just as dangerous as Birmingham. He might as well go back to the city he understood.

It wasn't much better than when he'd left it, to be honest, except he was smart enough not to advertise his powers in case he got run out of town the moment he arrived. He avoided the old mutant hang-outs in favour of other places, though not before he'd gone back to the old pub they all used to drink in one last time, just to see if there was anything left. There wasn't; all he found were the charred remains of a building. He didn't know if that had been Roy's fault, or someone else's.

As he turned to leave, he heard something moving inside the ruins. Someone was moving in there, or so it sounded. Carefully, he moved back to the entrance and looked inside. It was dark; the pub had never been very well lit even when it wasn't a burnt ruin. Looking in now, he could hardly make out anything at all. He could sense some kind of mutant in there, but he couldn't pinpoint them. Then someone coughed, and Bev saw a figure move in a corner, shifting from amongst the rubble.

"Hey, are you alright? Who's there?" Bev said as he approached, ready to be kind as well as kick the shit out of anyone who might dare attack him. He never assumed another mutant was friendly, particularly if they were strangers.

Bev went in a bit further, squinted a bit, before he picked out the shape of a man huddled near the old fireplace at the back of the room. He'd hardly seen him given the state of the place. He was dirty and covered in soot and ash, just like the rest of the pub was, and the boxes and broken furniture around him hid him better than Bev had thought. 

The man didn't reply. He looked homeless, since Bev could think of no other reason why a mutant would live in a burnt out pub. Bev was still cautious the closer he got. They might both be mutants, but that didn't mean they'd be friends. Perhaps he'd been run out of his own home and this was the only place he had left. Bev dared to get a little closer.

"It's alright, I'm one of the - I'm Flying/Fighting type. What are you? Are you alright? You need anything?" 

The man looked up at him. He shifted a little and brushed his hair out of his eyes. He squinted against the darkness as he tried to focus on the man approaching him. He watched him, unsure how much to tell. "Flying/Steel/Electric/Fighting. Why do you ask? Who're you?" 

Bev only knew one person with that combination: his old Dom. Grinning broadly, he pushed a couple of broken chairs aside as he moved towards him. "Sir? Is that you, Tony? It's me, Bev. What are you doing sleeping in here?" 

Recognition dawned on the man's face as Bev approached him. "There's nowhere else to go, is there? You bloody ran away last time. Why'd you come back? London give you a kicking, did it?" 

"Nah. It gave Jeff a kicking though, that's what. I decided I'd rather deal with the city I know. Is there anyone left? I don't think I've seen anyone around since I got back," Bev said.

Tony shrugged, unconcerned. "A few, here and there. All in hiding. It's not safe out there anymore. Why do you think I'm living in this shithole?" 

"Did they build new safe houses, or are they all rogue?" 

Tony laughed quietly. "You got no bloody idea what's been going on here since you left. You think they'll bother building new pubs now? Nah, those bastards would just burn 'em all down. Those that are left are all living rough in whatever hiding place they can find. It's not much of a life, but it's better than being dead." 

Unsteadily, he got to his feet, leaning against the mantle. "There were riots. They burnt out every hiding spot they knew. There were thousands of them, all bloody chasing us down the street and out of town. One night, they all just flipped, and they came after us. All of us. Some got out alive. Some got caught. Others were killed. A few of us hid and survived. It's been like that for months now. We stay because there's nowhere else to go. Word got out, see? So no town'll be kind to us anymore. No point leaving. We're hated more than bloody gypsies."

Bev was horrified. "That's awful. I didn't realise it was so bad. I heard about the riots, but only what was in the papers. Is anyone we know still here?" 

Tony shrugged. "No bloody idea. We don't really get together over a pint anymore, as you've probably gathered. I've been on me own since the riots. If they're out there, I haven't heard from them."

"What about Joseph and Erasmus? They didn't die, did they? Are they still around?" 

"Last I heard they'd buggered off to Scotland. Or possibly 1066. I don't know. The two were barking, if you ask me." He sighed. "Why'd you come back? Why the fuck would you come back to all this?"

Bev shrugged. "Same reason you're still here, I suppose. Because it's home. You wanna stick together? It'll beat being on yer own. I missed you too, while I was away." 

"Did you have somewhere in mind? I assume you weren't counting on staying here," Tony said.

Bev gestured over his shoulder. "Mum's still here. I was going to go round, reassure her I'm still alive. I was going to stay a few days before moving on. If it's as bad as you say it is, the only thing we can do now is move about and make sure we don't get caught. I mean, we could become hermits, but fuck it. If they're going to assume we're some sort of evil villains, we might as well use it to our advantage. What do you think?" 

Tony smiled. There was life in his eyes again. "You are a naughty little sub, aren't you? Alright then, lead the way."

* * *

There was nothing like being home again. Bev's mother had been worried, and she welcomed him home with open arms. Bev was glad to see her. Being at home, away from mutants and fighting and trying to survive, was a welcome distraction. She immediately sent Tony up to wash, and told him off for not coming to stay with her before. Bev knew full well she'd have taken him in if he'd asked, but when you're on the run and trying to keep your head down, it's not always so easy to do that. 

For a moment, Bev thought about staying. They had the room, they could stay here with his mother, and at least then they'd have somewhere to live. The prospect of having to leave and never come back felt awful now, but Bev wasn't sure they had any other choice. They were known mutants, he couldn't deny that. They would be noticed sooner or later and probably driven out for good. They might as well leave on their own terms. At least then it would feel like it was their choice.

Bev stood in the doorway of what was once his room. It had been turned into a guest room after he'd moved out, which he didn't begrudge in the slightest. At least it had a double bed in it. He had a feeling it would be very hard to leave that bed once he got into it. 

Tony clapped his shoulder as he came up behind him. "That it, then?" 

Bev nodded. "I don't wanna leave, sir. I might never see me mum again."

Tony brought him close. "I know. You think I want to leave? What other choice do we have? If we stay here long enough, they'll know, and then they'll come after us. Do you really want them chasing us down here and putting her life at risk? We don't get a normal life anymore. They don't think we're human. They'll kill us if they find us."

Bev took a deep breath. He didn't want that, no, but he wished he didn't have to make that decision in the first place. "I know it's hardly worth saying that's a risk we'll face almost everywhere we go, but I know what you mean. Better off away from her, so she doesn't get hurt."

"Two days. That's about as long as we've got. We'll grab what we can and get out of here. Trust me, it's better this way," Tony said.

His voice was soft and comforting, and Bev knew he was right. "Fuck 'em all for driving us out of our own bloody homes, the bastards."

Tony rubbed his back, trying to reassure him. "I know, mate. I know. Save yer anger for when we're out there on our own. No point in fighting now. Enjoy the peace while it lasts. It might never be this good again."

Bev found himself relaxing at Tony’s touch. It had been a long time since they'd played together, as Dom and sub, but that dynamic hadn't gone away. His Master's voice was commanding his obedience. He took a deep breath and tried to let his anger dissipate.

Tony gripped his shoulder firmly. "There, that's better, isn't it? When was the last time you had a Master anyway? You've got slack, lad. Do I need to step in again?"

Bev felt his body stiffen and still. He could feel Tony's strength just from the way he was touching him. No one had ever been able to match it. He had played a little with Carl, but he hadn't stayed long enough in London to do anything more than a few dungeon sessions. Being on the run meant little time for the pleasures of life, and that meant no bondage play. But a thrill went down his spine at the prospect of having Tony back. Subspace beckoned to him again as easily as it always had, hovering helpfully at the edge of his mind, waiting to be called again. 

"It's been so long, sir. I just never found the time. But what's the point in starting again? There'll be no time for this when we're on the run."

Tony wasn't buying it. "Come on, Bev. There's always time to play. I know you miss it. Every inch of your body wants me to pound you into submission again. They're going to exile us anyway, no matter where we go or what we do. They don't expect us to live by their rules. We're more powerful than them anyway. We're capable of protecting ourselves if we get in trouble, and if we need to escape, you can just fly us out of there. If we're going to have to be on the run, we might as well have some fun with it, isn't that what you wanted?" 

He did. That was exactly what Bev wanted. "Yes, sir. I want that so much. Just don't tell my mother."

Tony moved in front of him, pulling something out of his jacket. Bev recognised it as his old collar. He was touched he still had it with him, as if he'd been waiting all this time for him to come back. 

"You gonna wear this again for me?"

Instinctively, Bev knelt at his feet, offering his throat to him. "Please, sir. I'll wear it for the rest of my life."

Tony grasped his hair and held his head back; Bev shivered in anticipation. It took Bev a moment to feel the low electric current being sent through him, leaving him tingling with slight pain. Bev let his body relax, sinking into subspace as his Master took over.

Tony spoke calmly and quietly, his voice full of authority. "Same rules as before. If I tell you to do something, you bloody well do it, even more so when we're out there by ourselves. If I tell you to run, you bloody run. If I tell you to hide, you hide, understood?"

"Yes, sir. I understand. I'll always obey you."

Tony pulled him into a fierce kiss. Bev flinched as the electricity increased. He was used to it, of course, but it was still one of his weaknesses. The current Tony was using on him was never designed to kill; Bev could barely tolerate anything more than what he was currently using. The small current, weak as it was, affected him as if Tony were using a much stronger voltage. Unlike Jeff, who was immune to it, and Roy, who had some resistance to it, a moderate blast of electricity could do him some serious damage. Cardiac arrest wasn't something to joke around with. It was a serious enough threat to stem his Master's use of electricity, in case it got out of hand.

A hand closed around Bev's throat, and the tingling made him gasp in shock, but he didn't fight. He sat there passively, willingly submitting to his Master's hand. He knew he was in no danger of being killed. Moments later, the electricity faded, and Bev felt his whole body relax. It was only then that he felt the weight of his old collar around his neck. The shock had been a distraction. 

Tony leant in close to whisper in his ear. "There. Now you're mine. Don't you ever forget it, lad."

The growl in Tony's voice made Bev shiver, and his voice caught in his throat as he replied. "No, sir, I won't."

They broke apart then, and Tony helped him up. "We leave tonight. I'm afraid that if we stay here any longer, we'll find it too hard to go. Best go now while we still can, yeah? Come on, let's go get organised."

"Yes, sir." 

Bev knew it was for the best as they headed downstairs. He didn't want to get attached again. The sooner they left, the better. He didn't want his mum getting hurt because of him. They stayed for tea, but no longer. With as many provisions as they could carry, they took flight and left Birmingham behind for good. 

* * *

Roy held back, reluctant to leave the bunker. "No, Rick, I can't. I can't do this anymore."

Rick grabbed his hand and pulled him close. "We've got no choice, sir. You heard what they said. They'll track us down and kill us. We've got no choice. Now get in the truck. We've got to go hunting."

Roy shook his head and pulled back. He looked up at Rick, on the verge of tears. "We're killing our own kind. We're killing them. Doesn't that even matter to you?"

"Of course it matters. You think I like doing this?" Rick grasped his wrist and dragged him forward. "Come on, Roy. We've gotta go."

Roy refused to move and pulled away from him. "No, I don't want to. Don't make me, Rick. Please." 

Rick went to grab his arm again, but stopped as he saw Kelly come up behind Roy. Roy squirmed as Kelly grabbed him from behind. 

"Why the fuck are you still here? I thought I told you to go hunting half an hour ago," Kelly snarled.

The sound of his voice made Roy freeze. Kelly's arm tightened around his neck. The flames enfolding his skin leapt up around his throat and face, threatening to burn him. Indeed, a few tendrils of hair had already begun smoking. 

"If I don't see you get in that fucking truck right now, I'm gonna send you all the way to Hell and back, and then I'll let them loose on you, just to finish you off. Got it?"

Roy barely nodded. He hated Kelly's voice, when he would snarl and bite and rage at him. Before he could even respond, Kelly let him go, shoving him forward forcefully. Roy stumbled into Rick's arms, unwilling to look at Kelly.

Kelly prowled over, pointing at Roy's shivering body. "If you come back with less than fifteen, he's getting it." 

Rick held Roy close, doing his best not to look frightened. He suspected Kelly had not dealt with their shared trauma, and had resorted to bullying them as a way of working through it. He would never have mentioned it to Kelly though. "Fifteen, sure, we can do that."

Kelly turned his back as he walked away from them. He lit his cigarette furiously. "Get the fuck out of here. I don't want to see you until you've got your fucking quota."

Rick didn't respond. He didn't think it would help. Instead, he concentrated on the job they'd been asked to do. Bundling Roy into the truck, he climbed over into the driver's seat, and tried to get into the right mindset for hunting.

Roy sat there looking miserable, and he gently stroked the burnt ends of his hair. "I hate this. I hate him so much. I just wish - I just wish I could - "

Rick brushed him off. "Just leave it, Roy. We've got a job to do. We've gotta be bastards for a while."

Roy said nothing. He gazed out the window as they drove off, unsure he had the strength to keep on doing this. One day, he'd reach his breaking point, and if they killed him for having a conscience, well, it was better than the life he was living.

* * *

The sensation of being slammed against a wall came with a firm hand around his throat. Bev couldn't help grinning in anticipation as Tony kissed him hard, sucking the breath from his lungs. He choked with laughter as the hand retreated, instead shoving him hard against the wall, hand pushing hard against his chest. 

"You gonna give in to me tonight?" Tony murmured against his neck. 

"Not on your life," Bev replied as he pushed Tony away with a powerful Whirlwind. Freed from his Master, he stepped away from the wall and walked towards him. 

The room they were in was a storeroom in an abandoned warehouse. It was the first time they'd had a chance to play properly since they'd left Bev’s Mum’s, and they were going to make the most of it. Bev often found it curious that they needed a room this big to have sex in, but it was always well worth the effort. 

They'd been on the run for a week now, and they'd settled in a small town outside Gloucester, the warehouse being the only place they could find that was abandoned. Their activities wouldn't be as noticeable there. It wasn't a certainty that they wouldn't be discovered, but it was better than nothing. 

Tony got to his feet. There was no more waiting. Aura Sphere hit Steel Wing and rebounded, hitting them both for six with a loud explosion. It echoed around the room, but caused no more damage than moving a few light objects about. Some wooden crates were a bit singed, but otherwise intact. They'd have to try harder if they wanted to destroy the place. 

Bev found his feet first and timed his next move just as Tony was getting up. Supersonic Flight was impossible to beat, and they found themselves at the other end of the room, the sonic boom echoing around the warehouse, shaking the walls and shattering the windows. Another Steel Wing sent Bev reeling, but he was able to steady himself before he fell over. Another Aura Sphere was summoned, but before Bev could set it off, Tony slammed into him, pushing him back towards the other side of the room.

Tony pressed him down, holding his wrists tightly. Bev grinned and tried to kiss him, but Tony declined. Their bodies were close together now, and Bev could feel his heart beating hard. He was warm, both from the fight and from the way Tony was slowly grinding against him. Then, a bruising kiss, and he could feel Tony trying to make him submit. But Bev wasn't going to give in that easily. He wasn't ready yet.

There was tension between them as Bev tried to push him away. Bringing up all the Strength he had, he sat up, pushing Tony away. He threw another Whirlwind at him, just to add emphasis. Knocked to the ground, Tony lay there, momentarily dazed. Bev almost went over to help him up, but he knew better than to attempt that. Tony was up soon enough, and Bev could tell what was coming up next. He couldn't wait.

Tony launched at him, slamming into him hard as he pinned him down. Bev had the wind knocked from him, and he finally gave in. He absolutely loved that feeling, when Tony used Submission on him. He hurt in all the right places, and Tony was so close to him he could feel his heart beating in his chest. They almost beat in sync.

"Alright, alright, you win, sir," Bev said, letting his body go limp. 

Tony grinned at him. He felt exhausted. "Bout bloody time, too. I didn't have much left in me." 

"You getting all geriatric on me? What a shame. I'll have to go find someone else to fight," Bev said.

Tony closed a hand around his throat again, keeping his head down; this time, there was no electric current as that had the potential to give Bev a heart attack so soon after a fight. "You be quiet now, lad. Daddy's here." 

As Tony went to kiss him, there was a loud explosion outside that had not come from their powers. They both sat bolt upright, wondering if they'd been caught. They could hear banging coming from outside, and then voices. 

"Perhaps that sonic boom was a little too much. I think we'd better get out of here," Bev said as he heard the sound of running footsteps down the hall outside the storeroom.

Tony got to his feet, offering Bev a hand up. "Bastards. I wish they'd leave us alone for more than five minutes. Should I zap the door? They liked that the last time I did it."

Bev shrugged. "If you like. I'd rather get out of here before they get in here, if that's not too much trouble, Master."

The banging got louder. There were audible and coherent voices now. They were banging on the door to the storeroom, having barged their way through the rest of the old warehouse. If they didn't leave soon, they'd be slaughtered. 

Tony sent a quick lightning bolt at the door. There was a cry of pain, and the banging stopped, but it wasn't a permanent solution. They started up again soon enough, and began breaking holes in the door. They could actually see the mob now, and decided it was time to go. With no time to waste, Tony and Bev turned their backs to the crowd and flew up through the hole in the ceiling.

* * *

Inside the bunker, Kelly tried to calm down. This whole situation was maddening. Buyers were already arriving for the auction later that day, and he'd been escorting them down to see the merchandise. Kelly normally didn't mind. He'd shut out what was really going on long ago, unable to bring himself to care. He was sure that if he did allow himself to care, it would probably destroy him. He was being allowed to live, for now. Better not jeopardise that by giving in to his conscience.

The buyers were never particularly memorable; rich white men with far too much money and power, for the most part. Kelly did get to keep some of the profits from the auctions, but not enough to feel like he had any power. It certainly didn't feel like compensation either. It was just money, and he left it in a safe in his room with little care. Money didn't matter when you could be killed without anyone caring at all.

One of the men who'd forced him into this job in the first place had come with his commanding officer that day. He was forced to be civil to them, even though all he wanted to do was torture and kill them. They asked him again if he was willing to talk. Kelly refused to answer them. 

"A sack of coin, wasn't it? That's what he gave you. Every time you brought him a new mutant, he slipped you some coin. New mutants for them to experiment on. You closed your eyes to that, didn't you? You were corrupt long before we got to you."

Kelly wanted to scream at them that it wasn't like that. He had never sold out his fellow mutants to them, to Joseph and Erasmus, not for that. They took blood, but that was it. He had wanted to understand what had happened to him just as much as they did. But this wasn't anything like that. 

"I'm a Dark type. I know how to fucking bite," Kelly growled, but the threat was empty. He'd have killed them long ago if he'd had the courage. 

A patronising laugh, another sack of coins and they left him in the dungeons, their laughter echoing down the passageway. The rage he'd hidden away inside him was slowly killing him, he was sure of it, but he'd been reminded again of his place, and his obedience. He'd learnt to shut out the pain. His hands shook as he lit another cigarette, willing himself to forget. 

"Oi, since when did you know Bite?" came a woman's voice from a cell behind him. 

Kelly glanced back over his shoulder. "I'd shut the fuck up if I was you, or I'll make sure you end up as his bitch."

The woman inside smirked as she stood and looked at him through the bars. She laughed softly as she considered him. "I ain't the bitch, love. A common whore got more honour than you, my friend."

All Kelly did was stand there. He was so angry he could not move. He finished his cigarette, stamping it out underfoot. Refusing to look her in the eye, he stormed off, building up all his defences so the pain would stop hurting. 

* * *

Tony and Bev came to land in the middle of some woodland in the next town. It was easier to hide in a place like that, at least until they could move on to somewhere safer. Bev started laughing as he leant against a tree. Tony stood nearby, catching his breath.

"Oh, man. How long did we last there? Three hours? That has to be a record," Bev said.

Tony checked his watch. "Three hours and twenty minutes. That's definitely a record. Where to next, then?"

"Hey, you owe me, Master. I'd like some attention before we fuck off to some other small country village," Bev said, moving towards him. 

Tony brushed him off. "You'll get some attention when I decide you can have some, alright?" 

Bev backed off a little, head hung low. "You're not mad, are you? It was my fault we got caught. I was pushing it with the boom, wasn't I?" 

Tony's expression softened as he lifted his chin up. "Who the fuck cares? I didn't much like the place anyway. But perhaps we should try to lie low next time. We can't alienate ourselves from every town in the country too fast or we'll have nowhere else to go. But before we do that, I think I'd better teach you to be more careful with that sonic boom."

Bev almost knew what was coming before his Master pressed him face first against a tree trunk, his hand resting in the small of his back. "Do you wish me to count, sir?"

Tony swatted the back of his head. "Don't be presumptuous, boy, and don't talk back. But now you mention it, yeah, I do want you counting. Get yer trousers down, lad. I want you to really feel the sting."

Bev did as he was told, bracing himself for his punishment. It shouldn't have felt just like it had at school, but somehow he couldn't help going back there in his mind. "Yeah, you would, you bastard."

Tony smacked him with his hand, and Bev tensed at the pain. The low electrical current made it sting like mad. "You'll get another five for that, lad." 

"Fuck!" 

Tony smacked him again. "Make that ten. Didn't I tell you to count?"

"Fuck! Yes." Bev tensed again, trying to remember how many that had been. "Two, sir."

Another blow. "Good lad. Keep counting."

"Three." Bev winced. The pain was beginning to get to him, but he pushed it aside as best he could. It wouldn't last, and he knew his Daddy would take care of him afterwards.

By the time Bev had counted to twenty, he was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to walk for a week. A streak of pain ran down the back of his legs, and he shivered as he felt his Master caressing his sore cheeks, though, thankfully, without the electricity he was so intolerant of. The gesture was appreciated as it began to dull the ache from the spanking. 

"Please tell me that's it, Daddy."

Tony brought him into a gentle kiss to distract him from the pain. "Yeah, that's it. But no more sonic booms unless I say so, alright? It's too dangerous to go doing that all over the place. We're meant to be in hiding." 

Bev bowed his head, recognising an order when he heard it. "Yes, Daddy."

Tony had a certain talent for making Bev feel like a kid again, particularly when he tended to him after a spanking, even though Bev was older than him. Tony didn't particularly remind Bev of his own dad either, but somehow, it was that combination of his low, quiet voice in his ear and his firm, reassuring touch that reminded him of the way a father would tend to his son. It made him feel loved and cared for. For a moment, he had a father again. He might've left his mother back home in Birmingham, and his father buried long ago in a graveyard, but in Tony he had a surrogate father, and most of the time, it was enough. 

Tony glanced over at him as he continued easing his pain. "Is that feeling any better yet? We'll head off when you've recovered."

Bev shifted a little, trying to get rid of the stiffness in his legs. "Yeah, getting there. I really think twenty is my limit, if you're going to use electricity. Nerves all down my legs are tingling like mad."

"You sure you're alright?" Tony asked, concerned. 

Bev broke away from him and pulled his trousers up. Slowly, he walked around, trying to get some movement back into his legs. He found movement tended to help after a spanking like that. It got the blood flowing properly again. His legs still felt like they had a bad case of pins and needles though. 

"Yeah, I'll be right. Just gimme a minute." Bev bent over, stretching his legs. He'd learnt to channel any remaining electricity down into the ground, which did help him recover. He straightened and shook the final tingling pain out. "Fuck, that feels better."

Tony came up beside him and rubbed his back gently. "I'll limit it to fifteen, tops, from now on. Wouldn't want to kill my boy, would I?"

Bev smiled as he glanced over at him. "Thanks. By all means do more, but that electricity is a killer for me. One of those is worth a few normal ones. That, coupled with the pain, really limits my tolerance for them."

"Well, it was never something I wanted to use on you very often anyway. I'll drop it from your punishments. I'm not sure it's really worth it if it's just going to cause you serious pain. I could probably do some real nerve damage if I'm not careful," Tony said.

Bev inhaled sharply. "Yeah, I suppose you probably could. Fucking electricity. Can we get out of here now, sir? I'd like to find somewhere warm to rest while it's still daylight."

"We'd better get flying then. I doubt we'll get the car back now," Tony said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Bev straightened, remembering the car they'd left behind with all their supplies. "Fuck the lot of them. I don't care anymore."

They both knew it wasn't true, but neither said anything. Walking through the woods til they found a clearing, they took flight, looking for somewhere else to stay.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a long drive. Their first stop was a notorious haunt for mutants on the run, but the warehouse was empty, and they found nothing. Roy was relieved; he was not ready to abduct his own kind. He needed more time to prepare himself.

So much that had happened to him over the past few months still shocked him. When he'd gone on an angry, restless rampage back in Birmingham, where he'd attempted to burn the whole city down, he hadn't thought it would prove to be a catalyst. He’d thought it would blow over, like it had the last time, and everything would be alright. Life for a mutant would still be pretty bleak, but no one would be actively hunting him, which made all the difference.

They'd come for him two weeks later. It was a black limousine, just like it had been back in 1968, following him around everywhere he went. It was far too conspicuous, and it just made him panic. Instead of running, or perhaps fighting back, he'd tried to ignore it. They'd abducted him one night from his bed. It was blatantly obvious from the start that this was not going to be like last time. They knew he was a mutant, and knew what he'd done to Birmingham. Ironically, they weren't after him. They were looking for Joseph Priestly and Erasmus Darwin, the only two scientists who really understood what the mutants were. Problem was, the time-travelling bastards had destroyed their research lab and fled in their time machine. Anyone who'd had any contact with them whatsoever was being targeted. 

Once Roy knew that, he understood the stakes. They tortured the fuck out of him. Roy still didn't know anything. He hadn't seen Erasmus and Joseph for months, had willingly forgotten ever meeting up with them, and had no idea where they'd gone. It didn't appear to matter, though. It had been made clear to him that he had no rights left. Legislation had passed the two Houses of Parliament, or so his captors told him. They had him over a barrel. Literally. It had been the most unpleasant experience, being stretched and whipped as if he was made of rubber. He'd broken a couple of ribs in the process on top of all the other injuries he'd acquired. 

He was quite sure they were going to kill him. That they didn't shocked him. He woke up in hospital. It took him a while to work out Kelly and Rick were the other men in the two beds opposite him. He dared not speak to them, and neither of them looked like they were in any state to talk back. It was a scene written so vividly in his memory, from the faint lemon smell of the sheets, and the peculiar black mark on the floor, to the mint green door with its large silver letters. He could never remember what happened after that, except that suddenly he was being taken to an old air-raid shelter, from where he was meant to go out and hunt others of his kind, or his captors would kill him. How it had happened, how he had even agreed to it, he didn't know, nor had he ever tried to remember.

He looked over at Rick as they drove, and wondered if the other mutant was as haunted by the experience as he was. But it didn't seem like the right time to ask about it, so Roy remained silent. A hand strayed to the scar that ran down his left forearm as he returned to gazing absently out the window. Not even the meditative motion of the truck could comfort him.   
* * *

The next stop was an old abandoned power station. Pulling up outside the old maintenance hut, Rick stopped the truck and shoved Roy awake. Roy hadn't particularly wanted to be awake, but he knew where they were and what they had to do.

"Look, we'll get out of here soon, I just know it, alright? We won't have to do this forever. We'll find a way out, and we'll run so far from here, those bastards will never find us. Until then, this is what we've got to do. I hate it, Kelly hates it, but we got stuck between a rock and a hard place. They had too much power," Rick said, trying to console him.

Roy shrugged his shoulders miserably. "I know, I know." He shivered, remembering the wounds he'd received. "Do you remember anything? I don't know if I remember everything. I still don't know why you got dragged into all this either. Why would they pick you up?"

Rick shrugged. "I knew you, and I knew Joseph and Erasmus. Same as you. But they didn't have anything on me, so perhaps I got off lightly. They wanted me to sell you out, and they kept saying Kelly was a traitor, that he'd been a spy for them for years, and we hadn't noticed. I'm still not sure if that's even right, or if it was just something they said to frighten me."

"I think Kelly betrayed us long ago. He's always been in it for himself. He doesn't give a shit about the rest of us. But we've never been friends, not really, so why should I care?" Roy said, voice bitter with spite.

Rick rested a hand on his shoulder. "Come in the back with me. You need to relax."

Roy almost said no, but he knew it was what he needed. Rick needed to be the Master for a while. He nodded, and Rick leant in to kiss him. Roy did relax at his touch, like he always did. Once they broke apart, they climbed over the seat and into the back. They weren't particularly affected by the psychic trance that was embedded in the tray, but it did have a soothing effect that calmed them both down. 

Roy lay back, letting Rick pin him down. They didn't have access to all their usual toys, so Roy couldn't be properly restrained, like he wanted to be. But there was a section of chain in the back of the truck, and Roy grinned happily as Rick wrapped it around his body. He was still mostly clothed, which stopped him feeling the sensation of chain against his skin, but the tightness of the chain was enough. 

Propped against the back, Roy couldn't move. Rick knelt over him as he undid his trousers. He couldn't remove them, not without removing the chain, but having just his cock exposed to the cool air was a sensation he rarely experienced. Rick stroked him gently, trying to get him to relax.

Rick leant in to whisper in his ear. "Do you want me to fuck you, slave? Shall I just sit here and take all my pleasure from you?"

Roy shivered, and struggled against the chains. "Please, sir. Please."

Aware of how much time they had, Rick almost hadn't bothered, but he knew Roy would never be any use to him if he didn't calm down, and if this was the way to do it, so be it. He knew what would happen if they didn't come back with their quota. He needed Roy to subdue their prey and make them compliant.

Roy strained up to kiss him. Rick obliged, clasping his face as he brought him close. Their love for each other was probably the only thing keeping them from a complete breakdown. 

"Turn me over and fuck me, sir. Please. I - that's what I need right now," Roy murmured.

Rick raised an eyebrow at the request. "Oh, really? Then I'd better get to it." He didn’t mind Roy topping from the bottom as long as the end result was the same.

It required some readjustments of the chains in order to get Roy into the right position. The chain had been rewound down each leg, giving him the sensation of chain against his bare flesh, as Rick prepared him. It probably wasn't going to be the most romantic of moments between them, and they were in a hurry, but Rick would at least try to make sure he took some care with it. 

The psychic trance embedded in the floor was steadily calming Roy. It wasn't going to send him under, but it eased the anxiety he was feeling. Rick's hands slid all down his body, caressing him gently, and he'd positioned him so his hands were cushioning his cock against the floor. The only padding they had to protect them from the floor was a blanket they'd found rolled up behind the driver's seat. 

Rick was somewhat resistant to the psychic trance as well, enough to have a clear head as he moved into position on top of Roy. He felt Roy relax as soon as he did so, his cock pressed against his arse. Rick stroked his hair gently. "You still sure about this?"

Roy nodded. "Please, sir. I need to feel it."

"Alright. Just let me know if I'm hurting you," Rick said.

It was not the most gentle of sexual encounters, but Roy liked it well enough. The combination of Rick's body pressing down on him as he thrust inside him, the chain binding him tightly, and the friction of his cock rubbing against his hands was enough to make him come. His body tensed, and then released all the pent-up stress. 

"Stay, just for a minute, please," Roy murmured as he felt Rick begin to move away.

Rick went back to lying on top of him, his cock still inside him. It wasn't something he entirely got off on, but Roy liked feeling that close to him, particularly after sex, so he was willing to indulge him. 

"You alright now? Need anything else?" Rick asked.

"No, not for the moment. I'll do something with you when we get back, yeah? We've - we've got a lot of work to do now. Thanks," Roy said.

Rick began thrusting a little, hoping to avoid doing what they were meant to do, but even he knew Roy wasn't interested, and pulled away from him. He cleaned himself up and dressed before he released Roy from the chain, allowing him to clean and dress himself. Neither of them spoke. They needed the time to slip into their hunting mindsets, preparing themselves to capture other mutants. 

Roy straightened once he was done. "Alright, let's go see if anyone's here."

They got out of the truck and headed towards the main building. They'd found mutants in here before, hiding from the rest of society. Isolated as it was, it was one of the few places that offered relative safety, and the only reason Rick and Roy knew about it was that they'd fled there once, before they'd been captured and forced to turn on their own kind. 

Roy sent out a light probe to see if there was anyone around. He felt a couple of minds somewhere towards the back, but couldn't discern their precise location. Their job was called hunting for a reason. 

"At the back. Underground? I can't tell, there's interference," Roy said.

Rick went over to one of the electrical switchboards and pressed a hand against it. It wasn't obvious what he was doing; one of his powers was sending electrical pulses through wiring systems to find people. By listening to the returning echoes, he could figure out where to narrow their search. 

"Lower south basement. And..." Rick paused, sending a couple more probes just to check his readings. "One of the old generator rooms. Must be an electric type. We only ever find those near the generators."

"We'd better be careful then. I know we're both resistant to electricity, but you remember what happened last time we ambushed an electric type here. Nearly got ourselves blown up," Roy cautioned.

"Then you'd better sing us a hypnotic trance now before things get serious," Rick said.

Fighting off the urge to turn back and run for it, Roy cleared his throat and brought the power to his throat, mixing his voice with a hypnotic trance. It was light enough to make them compliant, but not enough to send them so deep they'd never wake. All they needed was to capture them quickly, and get them in the back. Then they'd be told to sleep, and they would remain that way until they got back to the bunker. 

Taking a moment to find the right tune, Roy began singing, filling the air with a soft, dreamy sound. It had a small psychic probe attached to it that would seek out anyone it could find. It was a stupefying sort of trance, and had Rick not acquired immunity to his song, he'd have succumbed to it as well. 

Roy kept singing as they proceeded through the power station. It was needed to keep the power going, and it got stronger the closer they got to their targets. The lower south basement was easier to get to than they remembered, and in it, they found three mutants, two women and a man, standing there stunned. 

"Dance," Rick commanded, checking to see how far the trance had gone.

The three mutants began dancing where they stood. It was not the best dancing ever, but that didn't matter. The order was obeyed, and that was what counted.

"Disable all moves," Rick said.

The effect of this command was not visible, but it was a safety net. Rick had not wanted to give up one of his electric moves, but it had not been his decision to make, in the end. He was ordered to use it any time they caught mutants, to stop them using their powers to fight back. Even the ones ordering mutants to be captured did understand what they were dealing with, for the most part. 

"Stop dancing, and follow us," was the final command.

The three stopped dancing; their faces pinned on the man ordering them to follow. Pleased that this had gone well, Rick led them out of the basement, Roy still singing behind them. 

Finding the mutant in the generator rooms took longer. There were several of them, all down the building, and it wasn't until they got to the fifth room that they found their prize. She had not succumbed to the trance as well as the others, and required restraining and a good blow to the head to make her compliant. 

The three mutants they'd collected in the basement were charged with carrying her out. Once at the truck, they were all ordered to get in, and they were commanded to sleep. Roy could finally stop singing, and he reached into the passenger seat to grab a bottle of water to wet his throat. 

"Can we fucking move on now? I'm tired. Also, I ain't singing anymore. Not today. Throat's all raw. You'll have to get 'em with other means," Roy said as he climbed into the truck.

"Yeah, that was a long run. Sorry about that. You just concentrate on keeping them asleep. I'll do the woods, alright?" Rick said.

Roy nodded. He could feel the four sleeping minds, and kept as much of a control over them as he could. The back of the truck would keep them asleep as long as they were in contact with the tray, but Roy needed to monitor them in case anyone slipped too far and needed to be brought back. 

* * *

The only place they felt safe landing was in the middle of a forest in Herefordshire. It was, perhaps, not ideal, but landing in places where it was easier to hide was better than doing it out in the open. Less risk of anyone figuring out they were mutants before they'd even set foot in a new place. 

But luck wasn’t with them today. Just as they landed, Bev heard voices. They'd inadvertently landed near a pathway, and instead of pretending to be visitors like anyone else by just strolling out onto the path, Bev panicked, and quickly pulled Tony behind a tree, trying to avoid being seen. Pressed close together, Bev tried to silence his breathing as he watched the group approaching. He was sure they were mostly hidden, but he couldn't guarantee they hadn't heard their landing. Unleashing a sonic boom in a supersonic flight to get them out of there would cause even more of a scene, so their only option was waiting until they were gone and hoping for the best.

It took a long time. The track was busy, and the longer they hid there behind the tree, the harder it got to leave in case it looked strange for them to come wandering out of the woods as if it was a totally normal thing. 

It was as a third group passed by that Bev caught a glimpse of their landing site out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head slowly, he saw the broken branches and the obvious disturbance of the leaf litter. As he was about to send a small gust of wind to disguise the evidence, a small dog came dashing into view, sniffing the ground where they had landed. 

Bev hissed as quietly as he could. "Oh, bloody hell, not them-"

Tony clamped a hand over his mouth. "Not. Now."

It was all he risked saying. The dog, it turned out, belonged to one of the woodland rangers, and Bev silently cursed at their misfortune. Rangers were getting very good at picking out mutant landing sites, amongst other things, making it harder to hide there for very long. For mutants, safe places were getting harder and harder to find.

"Looks like mutants to me. Fresh too. Maybe they're still here," they heard the Ranger say. She called in the find over her radio, and got confirmation to start searching. A capture team would be sent; in the meantime, they were to search the immediate area. She turned to the excited dog. "Come on, let's go catch some mutants."

Bev and Tony watched silently as she loosed the dog and began their search. This was not a good improvement, and would make getting out of there a lot harder. 

"What do we do, sir? We can't get out, not now," Bev whispered.

Tony gestured for him to be quiet, and said nothing. Neither moved, desperately hoping they would be left alone. The dog didn't look like the usual sort of tracker dogs, though, so perhaps they were safe.

A search had begun, as they feared it would, but they were lucky that the Ranger headed off into the woods away from them, giving them some space to move and think about what they were going to do next. 

"So, are we just going to fly out of here again?" Bev asked, still keeping his voice quiet in case they were overheard.

Tony shook his head. "No, we stay here. They'll assume we've left, but we'll stay right here. Once they're all gone, we'll wander out onto the path, and walk right out of here."

"And get some food, I hope. I'm starving," Bev added.

Tony nodded. "That too. Should be a café round here somewhere." He stopped a moment and listened, gazing out as much as he dared from their hiding spot, surveying the area around them as he looked for the best way to escape.

Bev followed his gaze. "What is it?" 

Tony silenced him. "When I say leap, we jump down that fucking bank and get out of here, right? Just slide down, and don't act like we're running away. I want out of here right now."

Bev could hear the distant barking of a dog, and it seemed to be getting louder. They might not have much time left if they didn't get out of there soon. Bev didn't really have time to think about that as Tony grabbed his arm and pulled him down to the bank, where they carefully but swiftly slid down the bank and stepped onto the path as if they were meant to be there. Neither turned back as they walked down the path, hoping no one had spotted them.  
* * *

The café was packed, but a crowd was easier to hide in. No one seemed to be paying them much attention as they lined up with everyone else, the queue snaking its way slowly towards the counter. 

"Hey, how much you got anyway?" Bev asked, fishing out all the money he had. 

Tony answered without bothering to check. "Ten quid, or thereabouts. Don't spend too much. We've got more work to do before we can rest. This is just a stop-over, remember?"

Bev counted out about eight quid in coins, annoyed it was all he had. "Yeah, I know. I just hope you know where we're going. I'd hate to get lost again."

"Trust me for once. I know where we're going," Tony answered, and the matter was settled.

Bev decided not to argue. He was, after all, his Dom, and part of his submission was obedience, after all. He did trust him enough to keep them out of trouble. Tony was better at navigating anyway. The only time Bev would panic was if Tony ever got them lost. 

As they moved slowly along the queue, Bev wondered how normal people lived. He'd had his powers so long he'd forgotten what it was like without them. Did they even know there were mutants there with them? Could they be sensed at all? It was something he'd often thought about back in London. He'd heard a lot of stories about mutants having a different energy about them that meant they could be tracked, but he'd never had enough proof either way. He hoped it wasn't true. That was the last thing they needed. As his attention was turned to deciding what to order, Bev pushed the thought aside. As long as he didn't bring any attention to himself, they'd probably be fine.

They didn't stay once they'd eaten. It was too crowded, and Bev was anxious to be away from them, so they went back to the woods. Bev thought they were just going to hide out and escape at night, but Tony led him down towards the carpark instead. 

"You sure you know where we're going?" Bev asked as they kept on walking. "We're not going to walk all the way to wherever we're going next, are we?"

Tony looked over at him as they went. "Trust me. I know where we're going."

Bev wondered how on earth he knew his way around a random woodland he'd never been to before, but he wasn't interested in pressing the matter. They kept walking, and it wasn't until they found themselves in some neighbouring woodland that Bev finally understood what he'd meant.

"They don't check down here, that's why we're here," Bev said.

"Now you get it. Overheard some of them talking and figured out where we were. You wanna camp out here, or try our luck elsewhere?" Tony said.

"I'm staying the fuck right here. I don't want to go near people right now," Bev said.

"You'd better go get some firewood then, hadn't you? We'll make a camp round here for now. We'll head off early tomorrow and find somewhere safer," Tony said.

Bev bowed his head, recognising the order. "Yes, sir. Right away."

It was strange, being on his own in the woods. He'd barely spent any time away from Tony since they'd left Birmingham. It was strange not having him there, even though he was just out looking for firewood. As he bent to pick up a sturdy looking log, something collided with the back of his head. Everything went black and he collapsed to the ground. 

* * *

Bev became aware of the swaying motion of the vehicle he was in long before he came round. It felt like a car, or a truck, but he couldn't be sure. What he was also sure about was that he'd been woken deliberately by someone else. He could feel the other presence holding his mind at bay, but it wouldn't let him wake properly. All it did was keep him asleep.

Tony was lying beside him, amongst all the other bodies of mutants that had been caught. Sleep controlled them all. Tony hadn't heard them coming up behind them at all. The first thing he knew that they were being followed was a snapping branch. It wasn't enough warning to escape. He'd been hit with something - he didn't have enough of a memory to know if it had been a material thing, or a blast of some sort of mutant power. It had slammed into him and knocked him out, and after that, he remembered nothing.

His head banging hard against a metal bar woke Tony with a start and he clasped his hands to his head, trying to make the pain stop. He could think of nothing but the aching pain, and it was too dark to figure out where he was. He was in some sort of truck, and as he looked around, he saw the other bodies. He rolled over, trying to get up, but his body felt incredibly heavy. As he lay there, he could feel himself getting sleepy, and soon, he was asleep again, unaware of what was going on.

* * *

Roy glanced back at Bev and Tony, lying asleep in the back of the truck along with all the others. "Why didn't we just leave them there? Why did we even take them?"

"Because we have to. We need fifteen, Roy. We're not in a position to be discerning about which mutants we take. We got our lot. Kelly will be happy, and he won't hurt you once we get back. Just be happy about that, will you?" Rick said.

Roy shot him a look. "How can I be happy when I know what's going to happen to them? How are you alright with this?"

Rick shrugged. "You know I hate this. Can't you just shut up for a while? The sooner this is over with, the sooner you can Dom me when we get back."

Roy didn't reply. He didn't like that. He knew they had no choice, but that didn't mean he'd stop complaining about it. At least he wasn't actually worrying about himself for once. With two friends lying in the back, he was more worried about what their fate would be. Which buyer would want them? What would happen to them once they left the bunker, the property of someone else? 

"Sometimes I think you like being hurt by him," Rick said.

His comment caught Roy off guard, and he stared at him, shocked, unsure if he even had an answer for him. "What are you even talking about?"

Rick glanced over at him. "You and Kelly. Sometimes I think you actually enjoy what he does to you."

Roy definitely did not enjoy it. "Why the hell would you think that? He scares me, Rick. I wish I could do something but - "

Rick brushed him off. "I know, I know. Maybe I'm just trying to rationalise this madness. Maybe we're all mad. God knows I haven't slept well since they got their hands on us."

"That's the least of our problems, I think. There's so much..." Roy trailed off, gesturing vaguely at his head. "Rationally, I know we're traumatised. I know that. I see the scars on my back and I know that's why I'm like this. But it's just so normal I can't break out of it. Are we ever going to get better? Or are we just going to off ourselves in a year when it gets too much? I have nightmares, Rick. Sometimes, I hear voices that aren't from me using telepathy. I'm frightened all the time. Kelly terrorises me. I can't relax. This life is going to kill me one way or another."

"I hear ya, Roy. I hear ya," Rick murmured. "I hear ya."

Roy hesitated as he formed his next thought in his mind. It hovered darkly, threateningly, "Maybe that's what they want. Maybe that's why they did this. This is our punishment. We destroy ourselves, so they can sleep at night knowing they weren't the ones who killed us."

* * *

Bev desperately wanted to wake. He could hear people talking around him, and was aware enough to know he was lying in some sort of confined space or cage, but he just could not wake. Something was keeping him asleep, and he didn't like it. It had to be another mutant. Only someone with Psychic powers could send someone to sleep this way.

The thought that he'd been captured by mutants was not at all comforting. Then again, mutants weren't exactly all benevolent to each other either. The in-fighting amongst the Birmingham mutants had cost several lives and ruined many friendships. Power bred corruption, and a dire need to dominate the other groups. With no way of knowing who'd kidnapped him in the first place, Bev had no idea what their true motives were. That said, they had kidnapped him so it was unlikely they were going to be nice to him.

Then he was being lifted up and carried somewhere, and he could do nothing to stop them. There was a jerk, and he hit his head again, but could not find the strength to wake, as they carried him down what felt like some stairs. At some point, they stopped, and he was left lying in a cold room, finally let out of the cage he'd been kept in.

A hand touched his cheek. "They got you too, I see."

Bev recognised that voice, but couldn't remember the name attached to it. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a mumbled response that wasn't understood. 

"The sleep will wear off in a while. It's really strong up there. I don't know what's going on, but whoever's using that power is damn powerful at that," the voice continued.

Bev didn't really hear him. Sleep was calling again, a song so beautiful it hurt, and he fell into it wholeheartedly, the other voice fading away as if it wasn't even there. His body lay painfully still, paralysed by a sleep from which he could not wake.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony watched him lying there asleep as he sat on the bench at the back of the cell. He'd been ambushed out of nowhere and captured. Obviously the safety of that woodland wasn't as good as it used to be. He didn't particularly know where they were, but it was some sort of large underground bunker, from the look of it. They were in the dungeons, it seemed, and there were many other mutants in many other cells with them. Not that Tony had tried to talk to them. He didn't want to attract anyone's attention too soon. 

A slight change in the electrical current from the ground beneath him caught his attention. He reached behind him to touch the wall and felt the same signal. His Steel and Electric types had given him a weird sensitivity to electromagnet currents that no one else seemed to be able to sense, and it had made him an excellent navigator, particularly when flying. 

Curious, he lay down on the floor beside Bev and lay his hands down flat against the surface, sending back the signal he'd received in small pulses. For a moment, there was nothing that seemed to be a return signal. He wasn't certain it was being deliberately sent, either. It might just be an echo he was sensing. Closing his eyes, he formed a probe and tried to figure out the layout of the ground beneath him. The bricks were inhibiting him, though, and only a weak signal came back.

Sitting up, he tried to dig a couple of bricks out so he could touch the earth directly. There was nothing to pry them with, apart from a small knife he'd picked up a few weeks back without really knowing why. Scraping away at the mortar wasn't easy, and the bricks weren't keen to disclose their secrets. 

"Are you tryin' t'dig yer way outta there? Yer barkin', you are," came a voice from across the corridor. 

Tony didn't look up from what he was doing as he finally prised a brick free. The speaker had a northern accent, making Tony wonder where on Earth they were, if they weren't in the Midlands anymore. "No, trying to figure out where we are. And if there's a way out."

A second brick came away with less difficulty, and after some digging to loosen up the soil and clear away any other debris, he sunk his fingers into the soil, sending out electrical pulses to see how far down they were. The returning pulses built an image in his head as they shot up his arms. It took a bit of work to expand the survey field, but with some rebounding signals and the help of a few electromagnetic currents he followed, he knew, mostly, where they were. They were right back where they'd started from, in an old military bunker that had been converted into a prison, somewhere deep underneath Birmingham. Clearly they were bringing in people from all over the place, then. That was not a comforting thought.

"Well? Is there a way out? Figured all that out with yer fancy magic, 'ave you?" 

Tony sat up, looking troubled. Glancing up, he saw the man in the cell opposite peering at him with interest. "I know where we are, but God knows how we'll get out of this. I'm pretty sure nothing's meant to be able to escape from here. That's how it was built."

A door opening somewhere down to the right of them stopped Tony from digging further. He barely had enough time to set the bricks back in place before he saw two men walking down the corridor, dragging someone behind them. In the dim light, it was hard to see who they were. Tony watched them anyway, wondering what was going on.

They soon disappeared from view, and then all that could be heard was the sound of a door opening and a body being dragged inside. Tony assumed they were sleeping like Bev was. Everyone seemed to get put to sleep before they were thrown down here. Odd way of working, Tony thought. Perhaps they had no other way of controlling their prisoners.

As the two men returned back down the corridor, they stopped outside Tony's cell. Tony didn't recognise them in the darkness.

One of them looked in, observing Bev's still body. "Hasn't he woken yet?"

Tony looked up at him. "Does he look like he's bloody woken?" 

The man did not look pleased by this. "Oh, hell, that ain't good. We'd better check him in case he got Nightmare thrown at him too."

Tony shifted back as they entered the cell. He watched as they did their best to rouse him, but to no avail. Tony even tried some low electrical jolts to try and wake him, but even that failed. Bev was simply too deeply asleep to be woken. Tony was worried. By the looks on their faces, the two men were worried too. 

"Oh, man, the boss ain't gonna like this," one of them murmured. 

"What aren't I gonna like? Aren't you two done yet? We've got a queue up here."

Tony recognised the man behind them who'd just entered the cell, standing in the doorway. He got up and went over to him, regarding his captor with contempt.

"Yeah, it would be you, wouldn't it? What're you doing keeping us here anyway? What'd we do to you?" Tony asked.

Kelly smirked. "Yeah, wouldn't you fucking like to know? Here, bring him back up. Roy's sent him too deep. We'll need to get that sorted. He's no use to us like that."

Tony went to follow, but was shoved back into the cell as they shut the door behind him. Kelly laughed all the way down the corridor. Tony resigned himself to waiting. The only consolation was knowing who was keeping him there, but it didn't bring him any peace. 

* * *

Bev wasn't aware he was being moved. All he knew was that he was dreaming, and it was becoming harder and harder to wake. He just felt so very tired, and could barely bring himself to move. He wasn't aware of anything else but his dreams anyway, and they were a combination of terrifying and comforting. 

He assumed he was still in the hands of the mutants who'd captured him. He didn't remember much, to be honest. He had been in a forest, but he wasn't sure if it was metaphorical or real. The forest returned as he lay there, unable to wake. It was a dark forest, and seemed to go on forever. He couldn't see the path; trees surrounded him, and there was no sky or light anywhere. 

Something flew by behind him, but when he turned to see what it was, there wasn't anything there. He walked forward a little, but it didn't seem to fix anything. It was hard to tell if he'd actually moved forward at all. He could keep running, but he might never find a way out. Instead, he began climbing up one of the trees, hoping to find a way through the canopy. 

The tree did not seem to appreciate it, but as it hadn't come alive and wasn't actively trying to kill him, it wasn't so much of a problem. The branches did occasionally snap back on him, but they didn't obstruct his path. 

When he finally broke free, he found a starry night sky above him. There was forest for miles and miles, as far as the horizon. As soon as he looked up, though, the forest vanished, and he was standing on a rocky ledge. As he stood there, a cave opened up nearby. Bev was pretty sure he didn't want to go into that cave. Nothing good ever came from going into strange dark caves. 

Bony hands curled around his shoulders, gripping him so hard he could not escape. "And what might you be doing here in my terrain?"

Bev tried to reply, but his voice failed him. He could feel a head beside his own. As he turned to see who was behind him, there was a sharp blast of pain and bright light, and everything faded to white. 

He had lost sense of his body. He did feel a jolt as he was left on some sort of flat surface; it was information, nothing more, and it didn't bring him any closer to waking. He wasn't sure he wanted to wake anyway. He could hear the soft singing of Angels, and it brought him such peace and joy he thought he never wanted to wake again. 

* * *

In the large chamber where Bev had been brought, there were people around him, but Bev was wholly unaware of their presence. An old friend was staring at him, wondering if he'd just killed someone he actually cared about. Roy had been a very reluctant partner in all this, but he had given in to his cowardly desire to save himself from being killed by selling out the rest of the mutants, and now he'd gone too far to escape from it. 

"Oh, I forgot he's weak to Psychic attacks. What if I've killed him? We've got to wake him. Or-or I don't know save his life. I never wanted to kill anyone. I never did. What if he dies? What then?" Roy said as he paced around the bench.

Kelly came up beside him and gripped his shoulder. "If he dies, he gets discarded like the rest. You do remember the stakes, don't you? He's not worth the trouble."

Roy gave him a withering look. "I don't bloody know how you can do this. How can you do this? They're our kin, they're mutants just like us."

Kelly moved in front of him and closed a hand around his throat, glaring at him with contempt. Roy understood the threat, but still tried to break free. The flames licking around his throat terrified him, even though all they did was make his skin feel hot. It was the only weakness Kelly had over him, and used it ruthlessly to ensure his obedience. 

"Wake him. Any way you like. Just make sure he wakes. Got it?"

Roy nodded, gripped with fear. Kelly glared at him, making sure he understood, before letting him go. Roy sucked in a breath and rubbed his neck as he watched Kelly leave. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what would happen if he didn't do what he asked. 

Still afraid, he went over to Bev's still body and lay his hands on his chest, trying to work out how to wake him up. He had an idea in mind, but it was risky and might just end up killing him anyway. This could break his fucking mind. But how else can I do this? He's so close to death.

* * *

The other voice came to Bev from a strange direction and then it echoed all around him. He had no idea who it was; it didn't sound like anyone he knew. It was telling him something, something that sounded Quite Important, but he couldn't quite make out what it was saying. The words were incoherent, and they were too far away. He felt like he was stuck in quicksand, slowly sinking down into the darkness below. 

It was in that moment that he realised this wasn't just a nightmare. The cold hand of Death was creeping close. But in his panic to wake, it just made him sink further. He wanted to scream out for help, but his voice had been stolen. And then he finally heard the voice loud and clear as a figure emerged from the darkness, walking towards him. 

'Bev? Are you alright?'

Bev tried to reach out to him, and was gladdened to see the figure start to run towards him. He was stuck down to his chest now, and he had lost all feeling in his legs. Maybe they weren't even there at all. Panic rising in his chest, he hoped the figure would get to him in time. 

Roy raced towards him, in time to grasp his hand just as his shoulders sunk below the darkness. 'Grab my hand! Oh, god, don't you die on me. Come on, Bev. Don't fight me now!'

Bev was exhausted. He could find no strength to help himself up and out of the darkness. He desperately wanted to be free, but he just couldn't move. Roy had helped a little, but Bev wasn't sure he was strong enough to help him on his own. His life was slipping away, and no one could save him.

It was in that moment of resignation that Roy succeeded. With his body limp, Roy put in one last effort and began to win against the darkness as he dragged Bev free. It took all his strength to bring him back, and he lay there in his arms, unconscious but alive.

'Wake!' Roy commanded.

Bev heard the voice, knew it was what he wanted, but he had no strength left. Death might still take him, anyway. It was enticing him with warm restful sleep. It was hard to resist it.

'WAKE! For God's sake, Bev, WAKE UP!'

Roy's words were accompanied by a bolt of electricity searing its way through his body. Gasping in pain, breath catching in his throat, Bev opened his eyes, at least within his mind. He had not expected the jolt, and now everything hurt. He grasped onto Roy, desperate to wake up properly, wondering what was happening to him.

Bev looked up at him. "Roy. What - what's going on?"

"Wake up, Bev. I order you to wake up," Roy said.

"I can't - Help me, Roy. I can't wake up. I can't wake, Roy. Why does everything hurt?" Bev said, beginning to panic again.

'You'll be alright, I promise, but I need to zap you one more time to get your heart started. We haven't got long. If you don't wake now, you're lost to me. You're so weak now. I hope this doesn't do any permanent damage.'

Roy didn't give him time to reply as he withdrew from his mind and brought himself back to the real world. Laying his hands on his heart, he conjured the electrical charge and channelled it through his hands, feeding it to Bev's heart in a bid to save him. His body jolted at the pain, and there was no reaction for a moment. Roy feared he'd used too much charge and given him a heart attack instead. 

When there was no reaction after ten seconds, Roy tried again. He had to get his heart started. Positioning his hands over his heart, he sent another jolt of electricity through his body, hoping this one would work. He wasn't sure Bev's body could take another blast. If he didn't wake now, he probably wouldn't wake. Time was running out. 

Keeping his hands over his heart, he waited desperately to feel a heartbeat. This time, there was a response. A flood of relief washed over him as he finally felt Bev's heart beating in his chest. It was slow, but it was there, pulsing against his palms. Keeping an eye on his pulse, Roy slowly roused him from his sleep, hoping there would be no long-lasting damage from the electricity. 

* * *

By the time Bev opened his eyes, he was back down in the dungeons, with Tony watching over him. Blinking as he fought off a massive headache, he slowly sat up, wondering where on earth he was. His body ached terribly, and he had no memory of what had happened to him. All he saw around him was a cold stone dungeon. Confused and afraid, he had no idea when they had arrived there.

"How the fuck did we end up in a dungeon, sir?" Bev murmured as he looked to his Master for explanation.

"I wish I could say this was a really great idea for playtime, but we got ambushed in the woods. Our fate lies in other hands now. You alright?" Tony said.

Bev sat there, unsure. He tried to summon any of his powers to see if they were still there, but the only ones he could find were Flight and Gust, the two moves he had when he first discovered his powers. He tried not to let the shock get to him, but that was easier said than done.

"They've taken my powers. Sir, they've taken all my powers away. They're not there. What am I going to do now? Without Erasmus - how am I ever going to get them back again?" 

Tony looked at him critically. "You sure about that? You got no moves left at all?"

Bev checked again, just to make sure he hadn't been imagining it. But the result was still the same. "I only have my latent powers left, Flight and Gust. That's it. The others are all gone. They're not in my system anymore. What happened, sir? Did they take them from me? Where did they go?" 

"You were asleep, and you wouldn't wake up. They took you away, and I don't know what happened to you, but after a couple of hour or so, they brought you back again. Maybe they did take them from you. You don't remember anything, do you?" Tony said.

Bev shook his head. "No, sir. I don't remember anything. Did they do that to you too?"

"I wasn't the one who wouldn't wake up. I've still got mine. I don't know what's going on here, but I don't like it. We got kidnapped by mutants, Bev. I don't think this is going to end well at all." Tony decided Bev wasn't ready to learn exactly who their kidnappers were just yet.

That wasn't what Bev wanted to hear. Sitting up, he tried to fight off the pain. Accepting he'd been captured by mutants wasn't something he was ready to do just yet. They'd taken his powers away. He was more worried about that. He sat there, feeling useless and weak, wondering if he'd ever get out of here alive. 

* * *

Roy just wasn't feeling it anymore. Rick was bowing at his feet, offering up his favourite whip. He'd even offered to whip Roy if it might help. None of it helped. Two of his friends were trapped down below, and it didn't sit well with him at all. He knew what was going to happen to them. The slave auction would happen and then they'd disappear. Because mutants weren't human, so they could be enslaved and beaten and tortured and none of it fucking mattered. 

Rick gave up and sat down beside him. "We had no choice, Roy. It'll be us down there if we don't obey."

Roy's shoulders heaved as he sighed, fighting back the urge to cry. "Bev's down there. I nearly killed him. I-I forgot he's weak to Psychic attacks. I was just meant to put him to sleep, but-but he nearly died. He nearly died, Rick. I nearly killed him. I nearly killed him."

Rick rubbed his back, unsure what he could do to help. He didn't like the situation they were in any more than Roy did, but what good would that do? It was either give up the other mutants, go out and catch them, or die, that had been made very clear to them. 

"But you saved him, right? He's still alive down there. Surely that's worth celebrating," Rick said after a while.

Roy nodded. "It doesn't help, though, because I did that to him. I almost killed him."

Rick pressed a gentle kiss to his temple. "You saved him once. Why can't you save him again?"

Roy looked at him, confused, unsure what he was talking about. "What do you mean? How can I save him now? His fate isn't in my hands anymore."

"Buy him. You're entitled to do so, you know. It might be the only way you can save him from a much worse fate. You know the kind of people we get here. You know the kind of buyers we have. Would you trust him to anyone else?" Rick asked.

"Of course not. All the buyers just mistreat them. Or kill them. Or they mistreat them, and then kill them. I'm so afraid for him. He'll be bought by some bastard and tortured til he's dead, I know he will. He could've lost his powers when I tried to wake him. I don't know what state he's in. He might just be a weak flyer of no use to anyone. They'll work him to death because there's nothing else to do with him. I'm not sure I can save him, Rick. I'm not sure Kelly would let me buy him. You know what he's like. They got him the worst, and he's not interested in disobedience. He'll sacrifice us first, you know he will, if he thinks he can save himself," Roy said.

"We got caught between a rock and a hard place. What other choice did we have? I know you don't like it, and neither do I. Neither does Kelly. But our lives are all about survival now. We can't live normal lives anymore. That means doing whatever it takes to keep on living, even if it's this. What else are we meant to do? What else could we have done?" Rick said.

Roy couldn't answer. He had no answer. He knew he'd be dead if he'd chosen otherwise. Maybe it would've been braver, better than betraying others of his kind, but Roy wasn't one of those men. A week or two filled with interrogation, isolation, and what amounted to torture was enough to break him. 

"He'll make me use that collar on him. It's not right, Rick. I can't do that to him. If he's going to be mine, I want him to do it willingly. Coercing obedience out of him makes us just as bad as those other buyers," Roy said eventually.

"You take Bev, I'll get Tony. And don't worry about the collars. I know how to get around those, but don't say a word, not yet. Not til we're safely out of here. Leave it with me, sir. I've got it all under control," Rick said.

Roy went to speak, but Rick pressed a finger against his lips. Roy understood the need for silence, but he was being asked to be brave, and he wasn't sure he had the courage to do so. Even with his powers, he sometimes felt more like an outcast than a hero. 

Rick kissed him, once, and left him. Roy began to wonder what on earth he'd let himself in for.

* * *

"So what do we do, sir? Can we even get out of here? We're not just going to stay down here and wait to be killed, are we?" Bev asked. 

He got up and he tried to see how far down the cells went. He was disappointed by the thick darkness that kept all but the few surrounding cells visible.

Tony shrugged. "Like I said before, this place isn't meant to be broken out of. No, if we're going to get out of here, we're going to need to be smart about it, talk our way out, that sort of thing."

Bev turned to him. "But we don't even know who's keeping us here. How's that going to help?"

Tony didn't answer immediately. "Actually, I do know who's keeping us here, but you're not going to like it."

Bev gave him a confused look. "Sir? What are you talking about? Is it someone we know? Did someone betray us?" 

"In a way." Tony considered his words before continuing. "I don't know the story, but I'd wager they're not doing it for the joy of it. I heard about it before, y'know? About mutants being caught by Government agents and forced into tracking down mutants, kidnapping them, and turning them into slaves. But I didn't think it was real. I thought it was just an empty threat, told to frighten us all into keeping hidden. I'm not so sure now."

Bev thought about what he'd said as he came and sat down next to him. "So that's it? We're going to be enslaved? That's why we're here? So who's keeping us here then? Who would want to do that to us?"

"I don't think 'want' comes into the equation. I don't think they had any other choice."

"Sir? Who are they? Who's keeping us here? Why won't you tell me?" Bev asked.

Tony looked away from him. "It's Kelly and Roy, if you must know. I saw Kelly down here, he was the one who had you taken back upstairs. Apparently Roy sent you too deep. That's all I know."

Bev had been desperately hoping it had not been anyone he knew. Hearing their names, Bev was hit with a wave of fear. He felt Tony take his hand. He had no idea what to say. 

"Kelly and Roy? They're the ones keeping us here?" Bev said eventually.

Tony sighed. "Yeah, that's them, alright. See what I mean about talking our way out now? Brute force ain't gonna get us anywhere."

"Kelly and Roy? No, no, it can't be. No way would they do that to us. How could they do that to us?" Bev said, not hearing him.

"I don't think they would if they had any other choice," Tony said.

That brought Bev no comfort at all.

* * *

Rick caught up with Kelly as he was heading down to the mess. He caught him from behind, sliding his arms around his waist as he brought him close. Kelly glanced over his shoulder at him and smiled. 

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Kelly asked as Rick pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder.

"You got a spare five minutes?" 

"For you? Always."

Rick murmured against his skin. "Somewhere private, if you please."

Kelly spun him round and grabbed his wrists. A curious smile crossed his lips. "Oh, is that the sort of mood you're in? What's brought this on?"

Rick made a point of bowing his head to him. "I have a request to ask of you."

"One that requires a private meeting, hey? Alright then, but it had better be worth it," Kelly said.

"It'll be worth it, trust me," Rick said.

Kelly wasn't sure he did, but took his hand anyway as he led him back to his private chambers. It was a room set close to the edge of the bunker, and was the only room with any access to sunlight. It had not been an original feature, but added later to stop the bunker feeling quite so oppressive. 

The room itself was spartan; there was no room for luxuries in their trade. There was a bed that wasn't quite comfortable enough, a bedside table with one odd leg, a storage chest made of the ugliest wood Kelly had ever seen, and an old table and a couple of chairs upon which sat a chess board, the pieces still lying asunder from the last game. The door to one side led to a small bathroom. The door on the other side led to a tunnel to the surface. It was one of the few direct ways out, designed as escape hatches, and they were all guarded well. 

Kelly shut the door behind them and turned to face him. "Alright, let's hear it then."

Rick paused a moment to find his submissive mindset before approaching him and kneeling at his feet. "Sir, I have a proposal regarding two of the slaves."

"Go on."

"Bev and Tony, they're both flyers. All I ask is that they be left behind with us to help us with our work. We've got those collars; we could easily use those to keep them from flying away. It would mean we could expand our range and take more mutants off the streets, hunting them down and flying them back here. Neither Roy nor I can fly. They'd be extremely valuable to our work," Rick said.

Kelly took a moment to think about it. He could see Rick's point, of course, but even he could read between the lines and saw what his true intentions were. He had felt the same, though he doubted Rick would've picked up on it. Kelly had to be the bastard. He wasn't allowed to sympathise with friends who got caught up in the system. There was too much to lose to be sympathetic anymore.

"I think you'd better prove just how committed you are to this proposal of yours. How badly do you want it, Rick? What'll you do to prove yourself?" Kelly said, a wicked glint in his eye.

"I would do whatever you asked of me, sir."

Kelly went to kiss him, but changed his mind. "That's not true, but we'll overlook that for the moment. I want you. For my own pleasure, not yours. You've got Roy for that. I just want you. Can you give me that?"

Rick had a feeling he would ask for something like that. He and Roy were pretty exclusive, which was something of an achievement given the situation they'd found themselves in. Kelly had never particularly seemed to mind since they'd all started working together, but unless he was getting it elsewhere, he probably wasn't getting any sex at all. 

Rick nodded at the proposal. "I can do that, sir. You can take whatever pleasure you need from me, if that is the price I must pay."

Kelly pulled him to his feet. "Then you'd better go lie on that bed right now. You know what to do."

Rick undressed, unashamed, and lay down on his stomach. When Kelly joined him, he turned him over, and they lay together, face to face. Kelly held him tightly, and Rick began to wonder what it was he really wanted. 

"Sir? I thought you just - "

Kelly shushed him. "If I wanted a fuck, I could take any of those slaves I liked. No, I want more than that. Share with me what you share with Roy. I can't get love from those wretched slaves, but I can get it from you, can't I?"

That made it more complicated, Rick realised. In some ways, he wished all Kelly wanted was a fuck. But to add love to the equation was not as easy as it sounded. He would just have to do his best. "Yeah, I can give you that."

Kelly kissed him softly. "Submit to me. Give me everything. I want to drink up all your love."

Rick closed his eyes, knowing that if Roy ever found out, he would probably count it as a betrayal, but he wasn't sure he had any other choice. "Yes, sir."

It was strange to make love to him, and still be dominated. Kelly made it clear he was the Dom, and Rick was his submissive, while at the same time approaching him as a cherished lover. Rick didn't even do that with Roy. But he could still sense that Kelly needed that from him, to know love still existed in the world. There was precious little of it going around, what with the task they'd been forced to do. But for a moment, all that was forgotten, and Rick loved him as completely as he could, hoping to sate his needs for the moment. 

"I wish you and Roy could love me too. We're all in this together, aren't we?" Kelly said softly as they lay together afterwards.

Rick looked up at him, surprised. He hadn't expected that to be his first sentence after fucking him. He rolled over and tried to read Kelly's expression. "I can't force Roy to do that, you know I can't. He's too scared of you."

Kelly looked shocked, as if he hadn't even realised. "I thought - is he actually scared of me? I just meant to - I never meant to frighten him."

Rick turned away from him and sighed, crossing his arms against his chest. "But you did. You threaten him into obeying, I've seen you do it. He's too scared to tell you to fuck off, and not brave enough to realise why you have to do that. I know you don't want to, though, but I'm not the one you keep shoving against a wall with flames around his neck. He's scared of you, and given how you behave towards him, I don't blame him one bit."

"I can't fix this, can I? If we weren't in such a dangerous situation, I'd probably suggest we all flee. But I don't even know where we'd go. I don't think anywhere's safe for mutants anymore. Might as well make the best of it while they're still interested in keeping us alive. It won't last forever," Kelly said.

Rick didn't reply; he didn't think Kelly felt sorry for what he'd done to Roy at all. They lay there in silence for a while. If they'd both been telepathic, perhaps they'd have shared their fears, but instead, they were just silent. Rick knew the moment was over when he saw Kelly rebuild all his defences, returning to the heartless bastard he had to be.

He left him there and retrieved the collars from the chest. He threw them to Rick, who managed to catch them. "If you wanna save Bev and Tony, you'd better collar the bastards yourself, hadn't you? And do it properly. I won't have any disobedience. If they're not properly enslaved, I'll kill 'em."

Rick hadn't expected that, and couldn't read any hint of sympathy in his voice. Perhaps things were more serious than he'd thought. The collars were real enough, and he was sure Kelly would notice if they didn’t use the right ones. Bowing his head, he took the collars, accepting the order.

"Yes, sir. I'll collar them myself, I promise."

"Good. Bring them to me when you've got them under control. I want to make sure you're not trying to trick me," Kelly said.

"Yes sir."


	4. Chapter 4

There was nothing to be done about it. As Rick took the collars, he knew he was risking serious trouble if he tampered with them. They were designed to hypnotise the wearer and make them obedient through a psychic link between slave and owner, and they were imbued with a blast of Nightmare that would attack the slave if they dared to try to remove them without permission. They were ingeniously designed. Rick hated them.

He could barely look at Roy when he went to collect him. Roy understood his expression, and took the other collar. The look they shared before they headed down to the dungeon said all they needed to say. Even if Roy could tamper with them, it was too dangerous to do so now. 

"You have to tell them, Rick. I can't do it," Roy said as they stepped down into the dungeons. 

"We get the collars on and worry about the rest later. Once we take 'em out of here to go hunting. Just trust me, will you?" Rick said.

Roy wasn't sure he did, but he couldn't do anything else. He tried not to look Bev and Tony in the eye as they approached their cell. Bev looked shocked to see them there; Tony just looked defeated.

"I don't suppose you're here for a reunion, are you?" Tony said.

"Here, put these on. We're going to get you out of here," Rick said. It was all he trusted himself to say as he and Roy entered the cell and handed the collars over.

Bev dropped his immediately, feeling the leather burn against his skin. "Fuck no, I ain't putting that anywhere near my neck. What have you done to it? Stinks of strong psychic power. That might kill me if I'm not careful."

It was enough to break Roy's albeit shallow resolve. He wouldn't be responsible for killing Bev again. Snatching the collars back, he blasted them with electricity in a bid to get rid of the psychic power. 

"I can't do it, Rick. I can't. We'll just have to use trickery again because I'm not putting one of those on Bev. It'll kill him," Roy said.

"You can't fix them like that. They're not meant to work that way. Otherwise I'd have done it myself," Rick said.

"What's wrong with them anyway?" Tony asked.

"They're hypnotic collars. We're meant to use them for the slaves," Roy corrected himself, "for you guys, to keep you obedient. They create a psychic link between slave and owner, and allow total control and obedience, with a failsafe to induce Nightmares if the slave tries to remove it without permission. They're awful."

"But Kelly'll know if they're not real collars if we just switch them. He's designed them that way since the last time I tampered with them. We can't just not use them. The only way they're getting out of this cell is either dead, or wearing those collars. There's no other choice," Rick said.

"Why can't you just blast him with electricity and get out of here? It's the one weakness we share, you know. Seriously, Rick, you're an Electric type. Why haven't you just done that? Why would you stay here doing this?" Bev said.

"Because we don't have a choice. They'll kill us if we abandon this post," Rick said.

Bev didn't believe them. "I don't buy it. No way would you think like that. What happened to make you like this?" 

Roy refused to say anything about it. Talking about what had happened was hard enough with Rick and Kelly. He wasn't sure he was ready to tell anyone who hadn't been there. "Bev, please, don't fight me over this. Just - please, put the collars on. I can't save you if you don't do this, and you really don't want to be down here. There are auctions - we're as good as cattle, Bev. They buy and sell us like fucking animals, and then they fuck us and beat us and kill us, and no one fucking cares. So unless you want to stay down here to die, I suggest you get that damn collar on right now. This is the only chance I've got to save you. Please don't fight me. Just come with us, please."

"One day, when we're out of here, we'll tell you everything that's happened, but just believe me when I say that we wouldn't be doing this if we had a choice about it. We can't just let you go because Kelly wanted to see you once I had you collared as proof I would do it to you. We're going to have to collar you, at least for a while. We'll let you go when we go out hunting. I'm sorry, but it's the only choice we have right now," Rick said.

Tony gave Rick's words a moment's thought. "Then you'd better not kill Bev while you're at it, or I'll kill you instead."

"All I can do is lessen the strength. I can't change the psychic power of them. But I'll try to remove it as soon as I can. That's all I can do. I'm so sorry, Bev. It's all I can do," Roy said as he tried to strip back the collar to its barest minimum.

Bev was not at all pleased by this. "No way. I'm not wearing one of those collars. Please don't put it on me, Roy. Surely there's another way."

Roy went over to him and touched his cheek. "You don't know what's been happening here. I'd rather do this to you than send you to the auction. I'm not going to hurt you. Someone else might. We're not classified as human anymore, Bev. Don't you realise what that means? We're no better than cattle. They enslave us and torture us because we're cattle. Dumb stupid animals with no minds of their own and no rights to speak of. We're not superheroes, we're cattle. That's what we are now. I don't want to do this to you, but I don't have a choice. I can try to shield you, but I can't guarantee you won't suffer at all. You can only remove it with my permission, otherwise it'll backfire on you. I'll release you as soon as I can, I promise. It's all I can do."

Bev pulled away and looked to Tony. "Master, please, there has to be another way. I don't want to do this, not even for a while. It'll hurt, I know it will, and if it takes my mind away, how am I meant to tell him it's hurting? I'd rather stay down here than wear that collar. Don't make me do it, Master, please."

Tony wrapped a strong arm around him and brought him close. "I don't think we've got any choice in the matter. I'm not leaving you here by yourself, that's for sure. I'll make it an order if I have to, Bev. All we can do is trust we'll be free soon, or die down here as prisoners. Do you really want to do that? Because I sure as shit don't."

Roy unbuckled his collar. "I've shielded it as best I can. I've got a very light hypnotic trance on there, but it shouldn't damage you unless you take it off without permission. It's all I can do, Bev. I wish I could remove it completely, but I can't. Once Kelly's seen you, we'll take off and go hunting. We need flyers, you see? I'll release you then, I promise."

"I wouldn't count on that. We're not flying anywhere until we've eaten, Roy. Flying takes energy, even more so when we're carrying people. So you'd better feed us first before you take us out there and expect us to fly. Bev's lost his Strength, too, so I wouldn't count on him being much use to you either," Tony said.

"No, don't tell them, that, sir. Please don't tell them that. I'm not weak. I'm not useless," Bev pleaded, not wanting anyone to know he lacked his powers.

"What's wrong? How'd he lose it? He's still got his other powers, hasn't he?" Roy asked, concerned. 

Bev grasped his master's arm as he begged Tony not to tell. "Please, don't, sir. Please don't tell them, Master. I couldn't bear the shame."

"After you brought him back here, that's when he said he couldn't sense his powers anymore, just his latent abilities. I don't know what you did to him up there, but he's just got Flight and Gust now, unless you can give him his powers back," Tony said.

Bev sunk away, humiliated. Roy looked shocked. 

"Oh, I prayed that wouldn't happen. I just - he was dying, and it was the only way to save him. I didn't think the electricity would do that though. I'm so sorry, Bev. I didn't mean to do that," Roy said.

Tony pulled Roy close. "He was dying? What from? What'd you do to him?" 

Roy squirmed, trying to get free. "From - from the hypnosis, I - I'm meant to put them to sleep, so they can be transported easily, but he's weak to it and I didn't - I had no choice, I had to do it, and it nearly killed him. He went so deep, Tony. All I could do was try to shock his heart into beating again. I decided I'd rather have him alive, even if it meant he might lose his powers."

Tony glared at him but let him go. "Don't you dare try it again, or I'll fucking kill ya." He looked back at Bev and brought him close. "Come on, Bev. Just wear the collar, just until we can get out of here. I'm assuming this is the least worst option, particularly if there's a slave auction going on."

Bev resisted the order for a moment, but did recognise the truth in his words. It might not be pleasant to wear the collar, but there were far worse fates that waited for mutants if they ended up caught. Reluctantly, he nodded his agreement. "Alright. I'll wear the damn thing. But please, Roy, let me go as soon as you can. I'm still weak from what you did to be before. I don't know how long I can survive it."

"I can't make any promises, but I'll try my best. I don't want you dying any more than you do. As soon as we're out of here, I'll free you," Roy said.

* * *

Bev felt like he'd been sent to sleep as soon as the collar closed around his neck. His eyes were open, and he knew things were happening around him, but he was forced into passively existing in the world, his body limp and unable to move without direction. Someone took his hand, though he was unaware of it beyond the sensation.

"Come on, let's get out of here. The sooner this is over, the better," a voice said. "Bev, walk with me."

His body accepted the order to walk without question. His hand was still being held as he walked down a dark corridor. He didn't know where they were going. Whoever was holding his hand stopped at a large door, opened it, and led him through, telling him to follow behind him. 

All Bev was aware of was the man leading him through seemingly endless corridors. Then there was a metal door and then they were in a small room. There was a man there waiting for them, and Bev was sure he knew who he was, but he didn't have enough free thought to place him. There was nothing in his mind at all.

Someone pushed him forward, and Bev stumbled a little, falling into Kelly's arms. Bev did nothing - could do nothing - as he was manhandled roughly and shoved onto the bed on his stomach. 

"You don't mind if I test him, do you? You wouldn't try to double-cross me again, would you?" Kelly said as he straddled Bev's thighs. 

Roy turned away. It was bad enough they were enslaved. He didn't think this was necessary. But he was still too scared of Kelly to challenge him. Instead, he left the room. He didn't want to witness that.

Bev wasn't sure he felt anything. He wasn't in any state to be aware, really aware, of what was happening to him. He was sure his subconscious was well-aware of what was happening, but it could not penetrate into his conscious mind, so he lay there, staring off at a wall, as someone lay on top of him. 

His body was not his to control. Whatever was happening to him, whatever Kelly was doing, wasn't something he was aware of. A part of his mind was sure Kelly was having sex with him, given the way Kelly was moving on top of him, but unable to react or even consent, he was left powerless and voiceless. All he was aware of was Kelly lying on top of him, and the sound of his harsh breathing in his ear. His body ached, or at least he thought it did. 

When it ended, Bev didn't know. He lay there on his stomach until someone grasped the collar around his neck and dragged him off the bed, making him stand. Bev saw Kelly in front of him, but didn't react. 

"Not bad, not bad at all. I knew you'd do it properly. I hope you've remembered that we've got an auction in an hour. I want the merch up in their cages now. Oh, and I want them sitting in, without the collars, so they know just what they're in for if they dare try to cross me. I have no qualms in sending them to auction if you can't control them. Understood?" Kelly said.

"Yeah, I understand. We'll get it sorted," Rick said.

* * *

Kelly could feel rage building inside him again, but had no capacity to articulate it. The door slammed behind him, shutting him away from the world outside. He couldn't look at his bed, knowing what he'd done there, to Bev, in front of the others. The fact he still had a conscience after everything he'd been through surprised him greatly, and he wished it would die like the rest of his soul and stop torturing him. He was just as bad as the men who'd tortured him. 

Flames appeared in his hands, dancing around his fingers. He could feel the fire burning inside him, fuelled by the Dark rage sitting in the pit of his stomach. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to burn the place to the ground. He'd thought that many times before, but cowardice had always stopped him. What stopped him this time was a couple of buyers asking to be shown the merchandise. A sack of coins was thrown at his feet, and the flames burnt out. And yet, he could not move.

A hand fell on his shoulder. "You're not going to let me down, are you? Because that would be a very bad idea."

Kelly couldn't find his voice to answer. Nothing else needed to be said. Ignoring the money, he turned to face the officers standing before him and bowed his head, obedient. 

"I'd best remind you of your obligations, mutant. Kneel, show me your back." 

Kelly didn't even care who was making the order. He obeyed instantly, pulling his shirt off to reveal his scarred back to them. He knew what was coming. The Dark rage in the pit in his stomach tied itself in knots in anticipation of the pain to come. It didn't help. He moved into position against the bed as he'd been taught, bracing himself against the sting of the cane.

Every stroke broke him. Every stroke bit into his skin like a razor-sharp claw. The old wounds flared up, and his whole back felt like it was on fire. If he was crying, he didn't notice. It was always like this. Every time they came, they caned him. It was as if he'd never left their custody, and they kept coming back to torture him. They'd stopped asking questions, but the pain was the same.

He had only received five strokes this time, though it hardly mattered how many anymore. He was pulled to his feet, half-dazed from pain. Kelly was sure it was only the Dark rage within that was keeping him standing. The only consolation was that the pain never lasted. The wounds were healed, as if they'd never been made in the first place. It was a hard thing to get used to. Without any lasting marks, it was hard to prove what had happened to him. One of the men handed him his shirt. 

"Get dressed. Show us which ones you're getting rid of this time."

Kelly dressed, his body stiff with pain. "This way, sirs. I'll show you them myself." 

* * *

Someone grabbed Bev's arm at some point, and led him out of the room. He wasn't sure who it was. He was led back to a small bedroom, the man with him walking away from him towards the end of the room. Bev simply stood there, waiting for an order.

"Take the collar off, slave."

It was obeyed without Bev realising. It was only once it was off, and the trance began to wear off, that Bev tuned into the world around him once more. He blinked, unable to let go of the collar. Suddenly being in a room with Roy was unexpected. At some point, he'd left the dungeon. He didn't know when. 

"Roy, where are we? What happened?" 

Roy turned around to face him and handed him some food. "Here, eat that. I'm sure you're starving."

"Oh, God, food. Thanks, Roy," Bev said, taking what was offered. He was suddenly aware of how hungry he was, and ate quickly, savouring every bite. 

Roy stood back, watching him. He knew what was going to happen, but he wasn't sure Bev would like it. He was waiting for the right time to tell him, even though he'd find out soon enough. He suspected Bev would rather hear the truth from him than find out with no warning. 

"I'm sorry for the collar. Are you alright?" Roy ventured.

Bev paused a moment. "I've been worse, that's for sure. I'm not going to have to put it back on, am I?" 

"I don't know. I'm not sure. Kelly's ... I'm not sure what he has planned for you. I'm not sure what I can do. We've got the auction in an hour, and Kelly wants you to see that, so you understand how bad things are for us. We can't just run, Bev. We just can't," Roy said, looking away from him.

"We're not going to be sold, are we?" Bev said.

Roy shook his head. "No, not yet. I'm sure Kelly would do it if you baited him enough, but I'd advise against that. The slave auctions are real. They are a real threat. You go in there, and you're sold to the highest bidder, and then you're collared, and belong to whoever bought you until you die. You can't get out. There's no way to escape from it. We're cattle, remember? They buy and sell us like fucking cattle." 

Silence came between them as they sat down on the edge of the bed, for lack of anywhere else to sit. Bev finished eating, considering the implications of his words. Witnessing a slave auction would not be pleasant, but at least he would have a better idea of who they were up against. He'd just have to get Tony to order him not to react at all, because otherwise he might just try to disrupt the whole thing and free everyone. 

"I suppose we'll see what happens after that, then. Thanks, for the food. I was starving. I'll get my strength back soon enough," Bev said.

Roy glanced over at him. "I'm sorry we have to do this at all. I hoped you wouldn't get caught up in this mess at all. Maybe if I'd been braver, we'd have left you there in the woods."

Bev shrugged. "What's done is done. Nothing to be done about it now but cope with the situation we're in and hope we can find a way out of it alive. What do you want me to do, if I'm not collared? I don't want to make life difficult for you."

Roy sighed, and didn't reply immediately. "Just do what I say. I'll try not to collar you unless it's absolutely necessary. Defer to me if you're not sure."

"Alright, I can do that. I'm sorry you got caught up in all this too, you know. I'd have liked us all to stay together. Charlie, Jeff, and Hugh are still back in London, last time I checked. You guys disappeared, and I went looking for safety. You know Kelly brought Jeff back from that attack, don't you? I still can't fathom how Kelly might've known where Jeff was. I just - it's been nagging at me, and I can't figure out why it's bothering me. But maybe Kelly's not the same person I once knew," Bev said.

Roy shifted uncomfortably. "You don't know what they did to us. They stalked us again, just like they did when that Wilson thing happened. Black limos everywhere. I was so scared, but I didn't have a chance to run before they got us. Then they broke us."

Bev almost reached for him, but held back. "What are you talking about? What happened to you?" 

Roy turned away. "Shut the door, will you? I don't want just anyone seeing this."

"Sure."

Bev got up and closed the door. When he turned back, Roy had pulled his shirt off. Walking back to him, Roy stood and turned to face him. Bev could see all the wounds covering his body now, and suddenly understood what Roy had meant when he said they'd broken him.

"Oh, Roy."

Roy looked away from him, and then turned around, showing him the scars on his back. "I wish I could say it looks worse than it was, but it wasn't. It was awful."

Bev couldn't contain his horror at what he was seeing. Some scars were deep and long, cutting violent marks all down Roy's back. There were others in between them, as well as some burn scarring over part of his left shoulder. Roy couldn't look him in the eye as he turned to face him, and he huddled into himself as he fought off the memories.

"They broke a few ribs, bunged up my knee, the usual barbarism. All three of us, me, Rick, and Kelly. Soon as it was over, we had to do this. Only way I'm coping with the trauma is by making myself forget. I'm not sure how Rick and Kelly are managing. I'm barely holding it together since you turned up. We're damaged, Bev. We're not the same people we once were. There's nothing I can do. Nothing," Roy murmured.

Bev brought him into a gentle hug. He felt he needed it, and he stroked his hair softly as Roy quietly sobbed against his shoulder. Bev couldn't think of anything to say. 

* * *

Rick unenthusiastically led Tony back to his room. It was a stalling tactic, if he was being honest, and he'd rather not start working on the auction work right at that very moment. He left Tony standing just inside the doorway as he moved away, lighting up a cigarette. 

"Take off the bloody collar, slave," Rick said, though he didn't sound particularly authoritative. He inhaled sharply, seeking release. Nothing had made him smoke more than the bloody work he was doing then, hunting and chasing and killing and fucking caging his own kind. It was something to do that wasn't smashing things to pieces in a bid to deal with his pent-up aggression and anger that wasn't allowed to be channelled properly.

Tony needed a moment to readjust as the collar fell from his hands after he'd removed it. Blinking a little, he recognised his surroundings, and the man before him. A smirk crossed his lips as he went up behind him and grasped a shoulder gently. Rick stiffened, startled to discover him being so forward.

Tony growled softly in his ear as he spoke. "Don't you fight me, lad. Daddy's here. It'll be alright."

Family. Rick cringed. Now that was an aching reminder he didn't need. He hadn't seen his family for such a long time. But he still recognised a Dom when he was trying to work him into submission. It seemed a strange thing, but perhaps it was what he needed. He could do his best out there with Kelly, but Roy hadn't been in the mood to Dom him for months. Perhaps Tony would do. He sighed as Tony wrapped his arms around him, bringing him close. 

"You don't know what it's been like here. It's been so - "

Tony shushed him. "Don't think on that now. Let it go. What do you need, Rick? What is it you need from me?" 

Rick swallowed, fighting the urge to break away from him. Tony was so strong, but in a protective way. It didn't feel like the sort of strength that would bully him like he had to bully everyone else. Like Kelly bullied him into doing what they had to do.

"I need a Master, sir. I need - I need help. Roy probably won't talk to you about it, but I know what we went through together, him, Kelly, and me. Got scars all over me, sir, and bad memories in my head. I need to feel safe, sir. I can't remember the last time I felt safe. But I doubt you can give that to me."

"As long as my arms are around you, no one can touch you. When we're in here together, it's just you and me. Just you and your Daddy. You tell me everything, and I'll sort it out for you. A father's gotta look after his boy, and if someone's hurt him, he'll go get revenge," Tony said, leaning in close to him.

Rick turned around and looked up at him. He desperately wanted to believe him. Hugging him tight, he felt Tony's arms close tight around him. For the moment, he was safe. It wouldn't last forever, but it was what he needed. Maybe then he'd be able to face the slave auction without falling to pieces.

"We've gotta go soon. We can't stay here. We've got slaves to round up. But I don't want to. I don't want to bring them up here and do that to them. You do it. You collar me and we'll go get the slaves. I can't bear it any longer," Rick murmured.

Tony thought a moment before agreeing. "Alright. What do I need to know then?" 

Before Rick could speak, Kelly stormed in and broke them apart. "You're not here for coddling. Here, take the collars. Get those slaves now."

Tony watched silently as Kelly pushed Rick against the wall, making sure his dominance was assured. Tony wondered if zapping Kelly now would be worth it, or if he shouldn't just wait for the right moment. He didn't actually have to kill Kelly, did he, if he didn't have to? He decided the only language Kelly might understand was one Dom talking to another. He approached them, and grasped Kelly's shoulder firmly.

"You're not going to hurt my boy without my permission, are you? He's my property," Tony said, keeping his voice low and confident.

Kelly looked up at him. Even he could recognise another Dom, and if he hadn't been so angry, perhaps he'd have considered giving in to it, too. Instead, he gave Tony the collars and left Rick behind. "You wanna play with the big boys, do you? You have no idea what you're getting yourself involved in. But if you're feeling so masochistic, fine, you can get the bloody slaves. Roy'll show you which ones we need for the auction and where to bring them. And if you dare double-cross me, I'll send that boy of yours to the auction in your place."

Tony took the collars without comment. Kelly left with nothing more than a final snarl at Rick. Rick shivered and turned away from the door, unwilling to look at him. 

"God, I don't know why you'd want to do this for me. But I just can't right now. I need some peace. I need to escape for a while," Rick said.

"Got a collar I can use on you, then? I'm assuming Kelly wouldn't have given us a spare one," Tony said.

Rick went over to the chest at the foot of his bed and picked out a collar that looked like all the others. "No, he just gives us a handful, and we go from there. We just need ten, and he usually always gives us that many, but sometimes he grabs more than we need. I keep the spares to experiment on, to see if I can break them. I've got one that just gives me the trance, but without the need for the psychic connection to the owner. It means I can use it with Roy, and I can use it with you, and there's no rebound. Anyone can order me around, but if you want to narrow it down, Roy can make it specific to you and him, so I'm not going to obey random orders from people." He paused a moment before offering Tony the collar. "Do you want to collar me now, sir?"

"Take me to Roy. It's best he knows what's going on," Tony said.

Rick bowed as he turned to leave. "Yes, sir. This way."

* * *

Rick and Tony found Roy curled up in Bev's arms when they got to his room. Bev saw Tony holding the collars, and wondered what was going on. 

"Is he alright?" Tony asked, gesturing to Roy.

"Of course he isn't alright. But if you're asking if he can get up and work, then I'm not sure. I'm really not sure. Why? What do we have to do now?" Bev said.

"Get the slaves for the auction. Didn't Roy fill you in?" Rick said.

Bev shook his head. "He's been crying, mostly. I'm not sure how much longer he can hold it together. I think we might need to take care of him for a while." 

"Then I suggest we lie low and find the right time to make a run for it. It would be suicide to try it now, not with all the buyers and soldiers around at the moment. Maybe tomorrow, once the auction's over. Maybe then we'll see how things are. Bev, I think you'd better collar him. He won't be any use to us like that," Rick said, handing over the special collar he'd brought.

Roy peered up at them then, knowing what was being discussed. He wiped his tears away and took the collar from Rick. "Then I'd better tune it to you three first."

Bev couldn't see what he was actually doing to the collar, but he asked all three of them to touch the collar as it was secured around his neck, just to imprint who was in command. Roy sighed with relief as the trance took over, and his mind became an empty vessel waiting for the instructions of his masters. Rick and Tony brought Roy to his feet, allowing Bev to get up. 

"Right. Let's go get the slaves. And don't even try to fuck with them or let them go. There's no point. You'll just end up down there with them," Rick said.


	5. Chapter 5

Little discussion took place as Bev, Tony, Rick, and Roy collared up the slaves needed for the auction. Being aware of what was going on was hard to conceal, but it wasn't the time to rebel, not yet. Obedience was needed first before they could break out of their prison. 

Wordlessly, the ten mutant slaves were led into the auction room. It was one of the larger assembly rooms, and it was already quite full of people. Parading the slaves before the potential buyers showed off what was on offer as they made their way down to the stage at the back of the room. There were ten cages all along the front, and each collared slave obediently climbed into one when ordered to do so. 

Their job done for the moment, Rick led them off to the side, away from the crowds. Tony and Bev had not enjoyed the task. Roy had endured it with blissful ignorance, and he stood beside Bev, unaware of the world around him. Bev did not want him to remove the collar until they were back in his room, away from the auction. He was afraid his mind was too fragile to endure it consciously. 

"So what happens now? When does it all start?" Bev asked.

Rick shrugged. "It's an auction. They go through each one, people bid on them, and whoever bids the most gets a new slave to punch. It's not ours to run, though. The Government takes most of the money, so they run it themselves, just so we're not cheating them. We have to watch, though. It's one of the few times they come to watch over us, so we have to be here."

"Kelly, too? Is he meant to be here?" Bev asked.

"Yeah, he'll be here somewhere. He kind of avoids us most of the time. I don't think he copes well with the auctions at all. He's the only one who gets any money from it. We don't get anything for rounding them up. But they got him the worst anyway, so maybe that's not surprising," Rick said.

Bev shrugged. "He used to get paid by Joseph and Erasmus too, you know. I saw him get money from them for bringing mutants in for them to study. Maybe that's part of the reason. He's already corrupted in their eyes."

"Maybe. We know they're different situations, but I'm not sure those bastards saw it that way," Rick said. "And if I were you, I wouldn't mention those two where others can overhear. They're still looking for them, and they'll do to you what they did to us if they think you might know where to find them."

Bev sighed. "Bastards."

"I know. What would it take to bring this place down, I wonder?" Tony mused as they watched the buyers walking past the cages.

"More power than we've got at our disposal, I'd say. I mean, if Richard were here, it'd be easy. He's powerful enough to take down a bunker like this with an earthquake. But we can't do it ourselves," Bev said.

Rick gestured for them to be silent. "Don't risk that talk here. Just wait til we're out of here before you voice such things. It's far too dangerous."

Tony and Bev understood. There was no point in talking further. They leant back against the wall and watched the proceedings in silence. 

It was, as Rick had said, a pretty standard sort of auction, as far as procedure went. The goods were inspected before the bidding began, and each lot went under the hammer one by one, with the highest bidder winning. What made this auction different was that the goods were human beings. As each was brought out to be bid on, they were offered another sacrificial slave and ordered to show off their moves. There was no point in buying a mutant if you didn't know what they could do. 

The first was a Bug/Grass type, and cut their target to ribbons with a combination of sticky, poisonous webbing and razor-sharp leaves. Bev had never encountered those types before, and watched with morbid curiosity. The target's body was covered with a thousand tiny cuts once it was all over, and the body dragged away to clear the stage. 

"Good for keeping pests under control, and for those who like gardening," the auctioneer said cheerfully before he started the bidding. 

Bev wanted to be sick, but he didn't react. He'd seen enough mutants die to find the sight not that disturbing. What was disturbing was the way they were being talked about, as if they were animals. Roy was right. They were nothing more than animals now. Whatever human rights they might once have had were gone, taken from them by fearful politicians. 

The second, a Ghost/Dragon/Dark type, was one of the rarest triple types in existence. Subdued as they were by the collar, though, they hardly looked as awe-inspiring as they should've been. DragonBreath was still a very impressive move, though, and the target looked decidedly purple and burnt afterwards. What was the most impressive of all was the Fire Dragon illusion, a Ghost move, which created a large fiery dragon that attacked the foe. The whole audience gasped, and the target was burnt to a crisp, their life extinguished in dragon flame. The stench of burnt flesh filled the room until a Gust was sent through the room to clear it, accompanied with a soft neutral scent. 

It was the highlight of the mutants being sold, and was sold for the highest price, £120,000. The others were more common types, three Flyers, two Fighters, two Electric types, a Fire type, and a Water type. The Water type did a good job of flooding the stage, and everyone got quite sodden by the end of his performance. 

When it was all over, and the slaves had been sent off with their buyers, Rick indicated it was time to go. No one wanted to stay any longer. Roy followed along behind them quietly, led by Bev. The auction was left behind.

* * *

Kelly was waiting for them as they got back to Roy's room. He walked towards them as they stood just inside the room, wondering what he wanted. He went straight for Roy, dragging him forward. Flames licked his fingers, but with the collar still in place, Roy didn't react. 

"I thought I said no collars?" Kelly growled.

"You said Bev and Tony weren't to be wearing collars. You said nothing about us," Rick said, though he wasn't sure it would help.

Kelly ripped the collar off, shocking Roy back to reality. Kelly's angry expression was enough to make Roy realise what was happening. 

"You. I said no collars. Why the fuck are you wearing a collar?" Kelly demanded, a hand engulfed in flames closing around his throat.

Roy wanted to speak, but he wasn't sure anything he said would make Kelly back off. "I - I just wanted to - "

Kelly let go and punched him in the stomach. Roy doubled over, gasping for breath. Pounding the back of his neck hard, Roy collapsed to the ground. He lay there passively, wondering if he was about to be killed as Kelly kicked him and tried to burn him. 

As Kelly kicked him in the guts, Tony decided enough was enough and dragged him back. Rick moved to Roy's side immediately, willing to protect him with his electricity if necessary. Kelly struggled to get free, but Tony was too strong, and the electrical current he was sending through his body was keeping him subdued.

"What did I say about hurting my boy, hey? What's wrong with you?" Tony said.

"I said. No collars. Roy. Roy diso - " Kelly stammered.

"No. You don't get to hurt him anymore. I've seen enough here. This is killing you, I know it is. You need to get out of here, or you'll self-destruct," Tony said.

Kelly brought up some fire and broke free. He was mad with rage, maddened and maddening, as flames leapt up in his palms. "You don't know what you're dealing with. You don't know any of it. There's no fucking escape. We're going to die here. We're never fucking leaving. You think you can get out? I'd suggest you kill yourselves. It will have the same effect."

Tony stepped towards him, but Kelly blasted a trail of fire at him, keeping him back. "Kelly, please. You're going to kill us all if you keep this up."

Kelly didn't reply. He sent out a blaze of fire at them as he fled the room, leaving them behind. No one was burnt very badly, but it still left them shaken. Roy was, by now, cradled in Rick's arms, while Tony and Bev kept watch, hoping Kelly didn't come back.

"I'm not sure we've got much time left. He's going to implode one way or another, and I'd rather not be around when that happens. We've got to go now, or we'll be buried under here with no way of escape. He's too dangerous to be around now. I think we're too late to save him," Rick said.

Bev looked concerned. "Do you think he's going to destroy the place now?"

"It's that Dark rage he's been carrying around. It's going to destroy him, and he'll take anything with him that's nearby. We can leave safe enough, I think. We can just say we're hunting. But I don't think we should stay any longer. We'll fleece the place for whatever supplies we can find and get out of here. I don't want to know what he's going to do. That Dark rage will consume everything," Rick said.

A chill went up Bev's spine. He didn't like the thought of losing Kelly, but perhaps Rick was right. Perhaps he was too far gone to save. If escape was still possible, they'd better take it now before it was too late.

* * *

Kelly could barely contain the rage burning inside him anymore. He'd hit his boiling point, and there was nothing left to stop him. Everything was going to come pouring out, and the place that held so much hatred and rage would be destroyed. He didn't plan to get out either. His Dark rage would consume him, and everything would be destroyed. It would not bring down the whole system, but there were still powerful people here, and even killing some of them would make a difference. 

He made his way down to the farthest part of the dungeons. There was a sluice gate there that controlled the water coming into the bunker. Mustering all his strength, he opened it as far as it would go, watching as the water began filling the drains. They would overflow eventually, and then the place would flood. He unlocked every cell he passed, wordlessly allowing his fellow mutants to escape. He was nothing like his captors. He would let them live. Only those who enslaved them deserved to die. 

One mutant, once freed, stopped to observe Kelly as he stood there in the corridor. "What's going on? Is there trouble coming?" 

"Get out of here unless you want to be trapped down here til you die," Kelly said before moving on.

The order was obeyed, and she fled with the others. Kelly didn't care. He didn't care who they were. He just wanted them out. He encouraged them with a burst of flame, unfazed by what caught fire. The whole bunker would be destroyed, and he would drown with it.

* * *

Seeing mutants fleeing was the cue to leave. Rick was surprised Kelly apparently had enough compassion to free them, and pleased that they were killing anyone in their path for them. Escaping with them would be better than going it alone. 

"Go get anything you think might be useful. I'll grab the money from Kelly's room. We'll meet outside. If the place is going down in flames, and someone's not there, go. Just get out of there before you get caught in it too. I doubt we'll have any chance to go in and rescue anyone, so don't count on it. Cut your losses and run," Rick said.

"I'm going with you," Roy said, grabbing Rick's arm.

Rick almost said no, but being with him might not be so bad. At least if he didn't get out, he wouldn't die alone. "Alright, but keep up. I'm not going to slow down." 

"If you see Kelly, you might want to kill him anyway. Maybe it'd buy us some time," Tony suggested.

"Do we have to kill him? Why can't we just knock him out and take him with us? We could at least try and save him, couldn't we?" Bev said.

Rick shook his head. "No, he's too far gone. The trauma was too much for him. We'll have to grieve later. Right now, we need to get out of here. Find us a truck, if you can."

"We'll see what we can do. No telling what'll be left out there," Bev said.

As another group of mutants ran past the door, Rick decided it was time to go, and sent everyone on their way. Hopefully, they'd all get out in time. If not, this bunker would become his tomb.  
* * *

Kelly knew where they would be. He found them testing the new slaves they'd bought and the links between them with the collars. He felt if he'd been calmer, perhaps he'd have tried to talk to them, but he was just too angry. Commanding them to release the slaves, he chased the mutants away to freedom before he turned on the buyers. He was angry at them the most for perpetuating the situation. Lashing out at them didn't particularly feel good; as they weren't mutants themselves, the wounds were generally fatal, and they barely lasted five seconds once Kelly was done with them. 

Feeling agitated, and bereft of anything more to do, he left the bodies where they lay and went to finish off what he'd started. There were air vents and gas pipelines all over the bunker. All he had to do was set the damn gas alight and watch the place explode. He'd done all he could to get all the mutants out. If anyone was still left inside, that was their problem.

The gas pipe was at the far end of the kitchens. Infusing the fire in his palms with the Dark rage within, they had the power to destroy the place in a way that ordinary fire could not. Kelly watched as any remaining people fled, leaving him alone with the gas. Summoning the righteous fire he needed, he set the place ablaze once and for all. Kelly felt he might've laughed, if there'd been anything to laugh about. 

* * *

The rumbling in the walls and floor signalled the last chance to flee. Rick had grabbed all the money he could, while Tony and Bev had found a truck. They'd fought off a couple of desperate soldiers, wanting their own way to escape, and stood there waiting for them as Rick and Roy came running out of the bunker. 

Tony revved the engine. "Get in the back. We're leaving now!" 

Rick didn't need to be told twice. Roy climbed in after him, and they settled down as best they could as Tony floored it and sped out of there. The tremors could still be felt through the ground, and just as they were about to make it out of there, the bunker was engulfed in a gigantic fireball. Tony decided not to stop and just kept on driving.


End file.
